not just friends (but what i want most)
by fahRENheit2006
Summary: A series spanning season 1 of gap filler between episodes as a continuation of my previous "Just Friends" series after Waverly/Nicole are together. Switching perspective between Nicole and Waverly as the idea/situation allows in different stages of their relationship.
1. not just any first date

_Wherein Waverly and Nicole (finally) cut to the chase. Starts with the oh-so-familiar first kiss and leads into what passes for a first date in Revenant-riddled Purgatory._

 _Office chat, first kiss(es), planning gone awry, but in the end Nicole and Waverly make do with what they've got. All fluff and talk. So, so much of it._

 _Takes place in 1x09. I also included some of the Road to Purgatory text messages/info for a little added authentic flavor._

* * *

"Hey, Nedley out for dinner?"

Waverly Earp's voice drew Nicole Haught's attention away from the form she was finishing for Judge Cryderman's secretary, Dolores. Otherwise, it was another quiet afternoon of front desk duty.

Tilting her head, Nicole deadpanned, "You mean 'happy hour at Shorty's?'"

A terse "Yea" from Waverly. She looked anxious and her eyes flicked over to Sheriff Nedley's office.

Nicole nodded as she tucked the form into a file folder. "Same time every day, kinda like clockwork. Do you need h—?"

Not even waiting for her to finish, Waverly had breezed past Nicole into the station with hardly a sideways glance.

 _What the hell?_

"Hey! Wave!" Nicole called after the younger Earp, who she saw through the office window setting her purse down on Nedley's desk.

 _What the hell what the hell?_

Sighing, Nicole squared her shoulders and braced herself for another argument.

Things between her and Waverly had been… weird as of late. Strained.

They had **tried** to be friends, **tried** not to cross that invisible line into something more, **tried** to be civil and casual. But Nicole knew for a fact she'd let that wall drop more than once with a lingering look or a too-long, not-innocent touch. She mentally kicked herself for not showing more restraint.

 _Maybe… I finally scared her off. Maybe Waverly doesn't want an audience. Maybe she wants to say the "just friends" thing they'd been dancing around wasn't working. Maybe they shouldn't try to be anything at all except hallway colleagues…_

"Hey," Nicole called again as she came up behind Waverly who was… _closing the office blinds?_

 _What the **hell?!**_

A gruff "excuse me" as Waverly pushed past her made something snap inside Nicole. She was confused, irritated and just **tired** of saying and doing the wrong thing where Waverly was concerned. Nicole barely even registered the office door slamming shut behind her.

Stumbling to face Waverly, Nicole confronted her with open palms. "What is your **problem?!** I don't understand why you—"

Nicole never got to finish her thought, whatever it was. Those words were shoved out of her mind by Waverly surging against her, hands around her neck, lips pressed to hers. The force sent Nicole stumbling backward as she—foolishly—tried to stop **whatever** this was.

 _Surely it's an accident. …A mistake? …Waverly had tripped? Or—I—she—_

 ** _What the hell?_**

But Waverly followed every backwards, stumbling step Nicole made, refusing to give her an inch of space. And it only took an additional second for Nicole's brain to clue in, grabbing Waverly's wrist in one hand and a shoulder in the other and just allowing herself to fall backward. Luckily, Nedley's couch met her back. It gave Nicole a moment to react and brace hands on Waverly's waist to help cushion the smaller woman's fall.

And still, unfazed by the tumble, Waverly persisted. Her long hair tickled Nicole's neck as they kissed. Warm, sweet, focused Waverly nibbled Nicole's bottom lip, hands still wrapped around her neck.

They had to inhale sharply through their noses to maintain contact until Nicole broke it with a laugh. All the irritation and worry and confusion that had been building up inside of Nicole for the past few weeks burst via that relieved laugh.

 _Oh God, **finally**_.

"What happened to 'friends?'" Nicole asked, breathless and amused.

It was the wrong question to ask. Waverly jumped back to a knee-sit next to Nicole's lap on the couch. Her expression was full of wide-eyed intensity.

"You know what I've always wanted?"

 _Uhhhh…_

Pushing herself up with her elbows, Nicole tilted her head in confusion. "…what?"

 **This** … was not where she thought this conversation was going.

Waverly continued with scarcely a breath between words. "To parachute out of a plane at fifteen thousand feet. Yea! To swim far, **far** out into the ocean so that I can't see the bottom anymore." Her right hand gestured outward in a vague swim motion. Waverly's head darted forward as she exclaimed, "To eat geoduck!"

 _Geoduck?_ An image of a giant clam at someone's table in a fancy Vegas restaurant sprang to Nicole's mind, as did the stream of phallic jokes that had ensued throughout the evening.

Wrinkling her nose, Nicole asked, "Isn't that the one that kinda looks like a—?"

Waverly interrupted with a chirp. "Yea, it is! Point is: I've always wanted to do things that scared me, but…" Her hazel eyes had a far-off, sad gaze to them.

She swallowed as her tone shifted to a slower, more uncertain cadence. "Well, it's not so easy to be brazen…" A frustrated sigh as Waverly pulled her hand off Nicole's thigh. "…when the thing that you want… that—that scares you to death is… sitting right in front of you." She trailed off, her hand waving between them in emphasis.

It wrenched something inside of Nicole: a soft, hopeful Thing she'd been keeping tightly locked up, especially around Waverly Earp. It came out as a gentle whisper: "…I scare you."

"Yes," Waverly confirmed. " **Yes** , you do."

That hopeful Thing swelled inside Nicole. She wanted to reach for Waverly, hold her close. But she didn't want to interrupt.

Continuing, Waverly stated matter-of-factly: "Because… I don't want to be **friends**. When I think about what I want to do **most** in this world…" A thick swallow. "It's you."

 _Oh God… **me too**._

Nicole almost— **almost** —laughed. Mostly out of relief, but also just at what a **line** that was. Instead, she managed a wide, pleased grin.

Waverly's brow furrowed and nose wrinkled in embarrassment at what she had just uttered. "Oh God," she trailed off with a small, fretful groan. "…that sounded so much more romantic in my head..."

Clearing her throat, Waverly waved her hand erratically. "Just… jump in any time, Nicole. Because I really, **really** don't know how to do this."

It was just… **unbelievable**. **All** of this. Nedley's couch at Nicole's back. Waverly Earp crouched on top of her, shy and hopeful and beautiful and saying all the right things (… _more or less_ …) Nicole had been hoping to hear (or say back).

The soft, hopeful Thing in Nicole's chest wanted to be comforting and smooth and sweet. But it was overruled by a louder, bolder, impressed Thing: Waverly didn't need to be coddled or reassured. She had barreled into the **Sheriff's office** and **kissed Nicole** , for God's sake.

Instead, Nicole purred back, "Oh, I'm **sure** you do."

Waverly was still breathless and uncertain. "…maybe I should just… stop talking."

Reaching out, Nicole started coiling the ends of Waverly's scarf around her hands with a sly grin. "See? You're getting better at this already."

The slack tightened, forcing Waverly closer as Nicole leaned back into the couch once more. Waverly stopped a few inches from Nicole's face, eyes wide for a moment and shoulders stiff. Nicole started to worry that she'd pushed Waverly too far.

But then, playfulness sparked in Waverly's eyes along with a confident head-tilt. "…Maybe **you** should stop talking, too."

Again, it took all of Nicole's remaining brainpower not to laugh. "…Maybe you should **make** me."

Only a second of hesitation before Waverly pressed forward again with a deep kiss. The Thing inside of Nicole pushed back, so eager and finally awake and just **overjoyed**. Lifting up off the couch, Nicole swapped their positions where now Waverly's back was against the blue couch. Like it was the easiest, most natural thing in the world. The woman rolled with the motion, smiling softly against Nicole's mouth.

Gentle hands wound their way around Nicole's neck and into the ends of her French braid as they kissed. Nicole pulled at Waverly's knees to wrap around her waist, which Waverly quickly obliged. They exchanged quick, gasping kisses in an unspoken race (that Nicole chalked up to an eagerness mirroring her own).

Suddenly, Waverly retreated with a shy, unreadable smile, her chin tucked into her collarbone. Sweeping fingertips down her soft face, Nicole lifted Waverly's chin with an index finger. She stared into Waverly's eyes for a moment, holding her attention, **willing** her to understand how much this all **meant** to Nicole.

 _Oh God, **please** …_

And then there was that soft nod of assent from Waverly again. Nicole exhaled with pure, ragged **relief**. A sort of frenzy gripped them as each kiss became an experiment in intensity. Waverly's hands tangled in Nicole's hair while she stroked the woman's sides with gentle encouragement.

Nicole had no idea how long they lay there together, gasping and kissing and nibbling and **oh so desperate** not to waste another **Goddamn** minute pretending this wasn't how they really felt. Not one more masked smile or furtive downwards glance or—

A loud chiming noise sounded, breaking the spell on that couch. Waverly stopped first, as Nicole was trying desperately to ignore the vibrating phone in her back pocket. Sighing, Nicole pulled away with an apologetic wince.

"What is it?" Waverly asked, breathless. Her long hair was flyaway in places from the static of that old blue couch arm.

Scowling, Nicole glanced up at the still-closed door. "Nedley."

Eyes wide in panic, Waverly's head jerked toward the office door, too.

"No, no," Nicole corrected. "I mean, he's on his way."

Waverly tilted her head with raised eyebrows.

Nicole shot her a guilty smile. She pulled the phone from her pocket to show Waverly the ringing "Nedley" alarm. "I **did** say the man is like clockwork. Let's just say I've mastered his routine. And looking busy when he shows back up so I don't get assigned extra paperwork." A thumb tap turned the beeping thing off.

 _T-minus 5 minutes._

"Ah. Sneaky." Waverly snuck another kiss: a long, lingering, cinnamon-tasting thing that made Nicole's heart skip a beat. Then she sat up on the couch and gently pushed Nicole off of her. But that smile hidden under Waverly's long hair was wicked and smug and quite pleased with itself.

Clearing her throat, Nicole tried to re-tuck her uniform top into her pants while Waverly untangled herself from her scarf. They both stood up at the same time, smiling under coy eyelashes. Nicole helped Waverly back into her heavy blue coat, though not after pulling the smaller woman into a soft kiss.

Waverly let out a light chuckle, her forehead resting against Nicole's.

"What?" Nicole asked softly, her eyes closed.

"You taste like vanilla." Opening her eyes, Nicole saw Waverly licking at her lips. Waverly chewed her cheek with a smile. "…I thought you would."

Nicole licked at her own lips. Everything had happened so quickly she hadn't taken a second to just savor the experience. "You taste like… cinnamon? …I don't know that I was expecting that."

A breathy laugh from Waverly. She wrinkled her nose as she straightened her dangling earrings. "I **might** have pounded back two or three espressos before coming over here. Liquid courage, as it were."

"It… suits you. The courage, I mean." Nicole paused. "And the cinnamon."

"I'll remember that," Waverly said with a smile. She threw a thumbs-up at Nicole's silent request for approval that her uniform looked okay.

Hand on the door knob, Waverly turned and stretched up to give Nicole a quick peck on the lips. Nicole's phone alarm chose that moment to start chiming again.

 _T-minus 2 minutes._

They pulled apart with a laugh. Waverly held her hands up in mock surrender. "Okay, okay. I'm going. Sheesh." She gave a playful, slanted, nose-crinkling grin.

Nicole wrapped her hand around Waverly's and escorted her out of Nedley's office. Pausing just at the counter divider, she gave a furtive glance at the still-empty hallway before kissing Waverly one last time. Nicole could feel the pull of Waverly's smile, that sweet touch of cinnamon, and how warm and solid everything about her was. She was reluctant to let it go so quickly.

Bouncing back behind the counter, Waverly leaned across it with her hands clasped. Purse on her shoulder, Waverly looked exactly like any other visitor to the Purgatory Sheriff's Department (other than the fact her cheeks were a little rosier than normal).

"So." A terse, loaded word accompanied Waverly's too-wide grin.

"So," Nicole echoed as she finished straightening out her uniform belt. "…Are you free for dinner tonight?"

It was so hard for Nicole to suppress giddiness at that question and just be **nonchalant**. It was the thing she'd been holding on the tip of her tongue practically since that first day at Shorty's so many months ago. And now, she finally— **finally** —had permission to **ask**.

"Yes," Waverly replied, eyelashes fluttering. "What time is your shift over?"

Nicole glanced at her phone. _Nedley will be showing up any minute now._ "7PM."

"Okay."

"He's coming," Nicole warned in a low voice as she saw a figured striding down the white hallway. She put a professional level of distance between herself and Waverly, but not before running her fingertips down the woman's wrist.

Sheriff Randy Nedley shuffled into the station with a tip of his hat. "Miss Earp." He only nodded disinterestedly at Nicole. "Haught."

"Sir," Nicole replied automatically as she watched him head for his office and close the door.

Both women had to shush each other over the giggles in their throats. Waverly glanced over at the door and stretched her hand across the counter to grab Nicole's. Nicole threaded fingers through Waverly's hand in response.

They smiled bashfully for a moment before Waverly whispered, "I should probably go check on Wynonna. Call you later? Figure out…" she trailed off with a small motion between them. "…all of this?"

Nicole chuckled and bit her lip. "Let's figure out dinner first and go from there. 'Kay?"

"Okay." Waverly started to lean over the front desk, but her eyes flitted over to Nedley's office and she pulled back. She gave Nicole's hand a squeeze and blew a small kiss before disappearing around the corner to the BBD offices.

Exhaling loudly, Nicole didn't realize how long she'd been holding that breath in. And she realized: it had **always** felt like she had to hold her breath around Waverly. Like she needed every tiny breath just to process the world around her in Waverly's presence. And that world had just gotten **so** much better all of a sudden.

 _Oh God: **finally**._

The police station was too quiet after Waverly left. Nicole just sat at her desk, dazed by this turn of events. She thought she still smelled Waverly's lotion where her hands had gripped her uniform lapels, a sweet citrusy scent. But it was so subtle that Nicole couldn't remember exactly. It all happened so quickly. Too quickly.

 _…Oh God, **please** don't tell me I dreamed all of that. What if I'm still in that ditch or asleep in the hospital and I made up the whole thing?_

 _I have to be sure._

Pulling out her phone, Nicole thumbed over to Waverly's text message thread. The same innocent texts from before: arranging times for casual coffee or saying hey at the station or how Wynonna/Nicole's cat was doing.

[Nicole says: "Am I dreaming? Are you real? Did that happen?"]

She left the phone on the desk while she pretended to busy herself with a pile of paperwork that needed filing. A response chimed back a few seconds later, followed by another.

Nicole thought her face was going to fall off from how hard she started smiling. For Waverly hadn't replied so much as bombarded her text inbox with emojis. A sea of unicorn faces (probably close to 30) were followed by a single red lip imprint: a kiss.

[Nicole says: "Oh thank God"]

Grinning, she tapped out a red kiss emoji of her own. It was such a simple, stupid thing but it warmed Nicole from the inside out until she thought she would burst.

A gruff voice behind Nicole startled her. "What's up with you?" Nedley was gathering up his jacket at the coat rack and his empty lunch pail (always a turkey sandwich and a ginger ale courtesy of Mrs. Nedley).

Dialing down her smile a notch, Nicole cleared her throat. "Uh, nothing. Just… happy to be on full duty." She even managed to sound somewhat sincere.

"Uh huh," Nedley replied with sarcastic disbelief. "Well if you're so happy about it, you can handle closing out the Donner case. Next of kin are coming in bright and early tomorrow."

Nicole bit back an outraged squawk.

 _That'll take **hours**!_

"Uh, can't Lonnie take care of it when he comes in?"

"Oh, right." Nedley drummed a knuckle on the desk as he passed back through the divider. "Lonnie's picking up his boy from hockey practice in the city, so he's gonna be late. He called me earlier about it. You're good with that, right, Haught? You said earlier you didn't have any plans this evening."

 _God. Damn. It._

Through gritted teeth, Nicole nodded. "Yes, sir."

"Glad to have you back," the Sheriff said dryly as he headed back down the hallway with a wave. "See you in the morning."

"You, too."

 ** _God damn it._**

Nicole sat back in her swivel chair, dumbfounded by her terrible luck. Her thumb swiped to unlock her phone, where those rows of unicorns still sat in her message history with Waverly. She had to take several long, slow breaths to remain calm and optimistic.

 _First thing's first._

Messaging Lonnie, Nicole started mentally logging her list of tasks to tackle (most of them involving paperwork or phone calls). Thankfully, the older deputy replied quickly.

[Lonnie says: "sorry forgot to message u 2. yea ill b in around 8 depending on traffic"]

 _Okay. That's not **too** bad._

She swapped conversations, though she was hesitant to ruin the moment. Nicole traced her thumb over that kiss symbol, cherishing the memory before starting on an apology.

[Nicole says: "Bad news. My relief isn't getting in til 8. Still on for dinner?"]

Not waiting for a response, Nicole went over to the file cabinet to dig out the Donner file. She skimmed the packet of paperwork, noting where hand-written notes needed to be transcribed and what forms needed official stamps. She could knock this out before Lonnie showed up if she didn't have any painfully long follow-up calls (though the Purgatorians, especially older ones, just loved to talk).

A trio of pinging responses.

[Waverly says: "Sucks. I guess I can wait ;)"]

[Waverly says: "JD's should still be open til 9. Otherwise there's always Shorty's"]

A thinking-face emoji followed close behind.

[Nicole says: "Anywhere is perfect, as long as it's with you"]

There was a slight pause, then Waverly sent another kiss symbol.

Smiling to herself, Nicole rolled up her (figurative) sleeves and assembled her pile of paperwork and phone numbers. She was going for a department speed record tonight if it **killed** her.

* * *

Eight o'clock came and went. So did Nicole's patience.

The last half hour alone had been nothing but calculating time problems in her head. Nicole went from tentatively believing a shower and change of clothes at home was still possible, to praying the spare set of clothes she kept at work weren't too wrinkled, to canceling the date outright.

 _Date._

 ** _Date._**

 _She had a **date**._

 _With **Waverly Earp**._

 _How can I cancel a date with Waverly Earp?!_

She sighed and opened up her phone. _8:37PM_.

[Nicole says: "I don't think we're gonna make JD's. Still good for Shorty's?"]

[Waverly says: "Crap. And no, can't go back to Shorty's. EVER"]

 _Well that's ominous?_

[Nicole says: "Why"]

[Waverly says: "Because now Bobo Del frickin Rey owns it"]

[Nicole says: "Oh my God Waverly are you okay?"]

[Waverly says: "No. No I'm not. Wynonna just found out. Trying to come up with a plan to deal with him and his gang tomorrow"]

[Nicole says: "Do you want to talk about it?"]

[Waverly says: "No. Don't feel like dealing with it right now"]

[Nicole says: "OK. I'm here when you do, okay?"]

[Waverly says: "Ok thanks. Promise I'll tell you when I do"]

Chewing her lip, Nicole hesitated to type out her next thought.

[Nicole says: "Do you want to reschedule the date?"]

 _"Date." Maybe using the word will make it more real._

[Waverly says: "NO I DON'T want to reschedule! I think I have one last hail mary idea we can still do"]

[Nicole says: "Are you sure? I can wait"]

[Waverly says: "Well I can't :P Lemme make a phonecall. Text me when you get off?"]

Replying in the affirmative, Nicole closed her phone and finished the last of her paperwork.

When Lonnie finally showed up, sweaty and apologetic, Nicole didn't have the energy to be angry. She just nodded at his gratitude, dumped the rest of her paperwork on his desk, and made a beeline for the communal showers.

The blue button-down shirt and khakis Nicole had to spare weren't ideal, but not terrible. And fortunately, she did keep an extra mascara, lipstick and concealer handy. It was rather hard to effectively preen in the dull fluorescent lighting of the municipal building women's room, though.

Her stomach growled as she pulled out her phone on the way to her cruiser, uniform duffle bag in the other hand.

 _Ugh. 9:27PM._

[Nicole says: "FINALLY, I'm outta here. Where are you?"]

[Waverly says: "Yay! I'll meet you at Movie Madness on Second St?"]

 _The movie theater? I tried to see a movie after a shift a couple weeks ago. Last showing was at like 8:45. **Everything** in this town shuts down by 9._

[Nicole says: "Are you sure?"]

[Waverly says: "Trust me"]

About 10 minutes later, Nicole turned into the cheap movie theater parking lot. Only one street light was still working, otherwise most of the lot's few cars were shrouded in darkness. Her headlights passed over a familiar red Jeep. An even more familiar woman was leaning against the driver's side door, phone in hand.

Waverly at least **had** had time to change. And was dressed to the nines: long hair pulled up in a tight bun, tan crop-top accented by several strands of gold necklaces, mini-skirt over leggings with familiar pom-pom topped boots, all hugged by that leopard print coat… she was as _Waverly_ as she could possibly be.

Giving a gentle honk of her horn, Nicole pulled into the spot behind Waverly (who had jumped at the noise before smiling and waving back). As Nicole stepped out of her warm cruiser, she was met by a biting wind that swirled around her navy coat.

She was also met by a tackling hug from Waverly, who had bounded around the front of her car. Nicole tucked her chin atop the shorter woman's head, finally savoring the moment (despite the surrounding chill). Then she remembered what Waverly had said earlier.

"Hey," Nicole said in a low voice.

Waverly's reply was muffled by Nicole's jacket. "Hey yourself."

"You okay, Waves? You wanna go somewhere and talk about this Bobo thing? Or should I get the Sheriff's office involved?"

 _How? **How** did that scummy trailer park slumlord buy Shorty's?_ She started mentally cataloguing the armory's munitions and how they could effectively lay siege, starting with a perimeter around—

"No," Waverly said, pulling back. "I **don't** want to talk about it." There was a line of mascara down one cheek, evidence she'd been crying earlier. She sniffed and dabbed a finger at her eyes. "I just want to forget about it for a little while. Okay?" Waverly looked up at Nicole, forlorn but hopeful.

Nicole murmured a soft "Okay" as she captured Waverly's lips in a kiss. Waverly sniffed again, but her cheeks tightened in a smile. Pulling back, she looped her arm through Nicole's and started dragging them towards the theater. Half the neon lights were out on the Movie Madness sign and the doors appeared locked.

As they approached, Nicole tried pushing on the glass door. It didn't budge.

When she looked over to Waverly, the woman just held up her hand. "Trust me," Waverly said as she knocked on the glass.

A moment later, an older gentleman in his early 70s wearing a wrinkled white dress shirt with a red cummerbund opened the door with a rattle of keys. His voice sounded as old as he looked. "Waverly! Was wondering when you were gonna show."

Stepping in front of Nicole, Waverly smiled. "Sorry, Barney. My date was late." She gave a small, good-natured elbow-nudge to Nicole's stomach.

 _"My **date** "? _The phrase caught in Nicole's throat.

"Who's your friend?" Barney asked, half-listening, as he ushered them through the open door.

"This is Nicole Haught. She's a Sheriff's Deputy," Waverly replied as she grabbed onto the front of Nicole's shirt and pulled them both inside.

"Oh excellent! One of Nedley's! You're in good company, then?"

Waverly confirmed with a smile. "The best, Barney."

Nicole opened her mouth several times to reply, but she was baffled by the exchange (for more reason than one).

 _…What the hell?_

Examining his keyring, Barney rubbed at his bald head a moment before selecting a pair of silver keys and handing them to Waverly. "I've got you in Theater 3. Projector is already threaded, just turn it off before you leave." He gestured to the small concessions counter. "Was just about to clean up, but take whatever you want. I left the nacho cheese on just for you, Little Waverly."

"Thank you, Barney," Waverly replied sweetly as she dragged Nicole over to the food counter.

Nicole pulled out her wallet, but Waverly waved her off. The smell of shitty hot dogs and popcorn set Nicole's stomach to rumbling, though.

"Are you sure this is okay?" Nicole whispered in Waverly's ear, watching Barney closely. He had gone back to sweeping up a section of carpet peppered with granules of popcorn, humming a tune under his breath.

"Perfectly okay," Waverly whispered back as she poured a heap of gooey cheese onto a basket of round tortilla chips. "Plus, I don't know about you, but I'm **starving**."

"Me too." It didn't take much coaxing for Nicole to pick up a pair of hot dogs and a box of Reese's Pieces along with a fat fountain drink of Diet Coke. Nicole waved at the old movie manager to ask permission on the food she'd collected, but Barney just nodded back and kept sweeping.

She felt a hand on her wrist as Waverly guided them to the far theater in the hallway, #3. She ground to a halt just outside the door and spun to glare at Nicole.

"Where's the best place to sit?" She demanded.

Chuckling, Nicole shrugged. "Testing me already?"

"It's important!" Waverly insisted.

"I prefer the middle/back of the theater, in the center."

A sunshine-smile accompanied crinkling around Waverly's eyes. "…good answer. I would have also accepted 'anything that's not the front row.'"

"Ah," Nicole murmured as they piled into the small theater with their haul of junk food.

Waverly shrugged apologetically as she gestured at the screen. "I'm gonna turn on the projector. I hope you wanted to see Chris Evans, because 'Before We Go' was all Barney still had on hand."

"Never heard of it."

"That makes two of us!" Waverly agreed with a laugh. "Hopefully it won't suck!"

Before Waverly could jump up, Nicole snagged her wrist with a soft "Hey" and pulled her into a kiss. They were both smiling when they came apart.

Reluctant to let Waverly's hand go, Nicole asked, "I **have** to know: how did you **do** all this?"

Leaning against the chairbacks in front of them, Waverly shrugged out of her heavy coat. "A couple years ago, Barney's wife, Margaret, had cancer. He was having trouble visiting her in the hospital during her chemo, so I helped him open and close the theater a few days a week for like seven months."

"Is Margaret…?"

"She's okay. Still runs the flower shop. Her cancer wasn't like terminal yet but the chemo was hard on her." Waverly paused before explaining with a sad smile, "Old people."

"I didn't know you worked at the theater," Nicole said with a head tilt.

She shrugged. "More like volunteered. It was easy to fit in before or after my Shorty's shift. Felt good to help out, since the Henshaws have always been nice people. And after that, Barney said if I ever wanted to catch a movie to just tell him when." Waverly smiled and made jazz hands.

"You… are a class act, Waverly Earp," Nicole breathed with feeling.

"I know!" Waverly chirped back in agreement as she headed for the projection booth. A few seconds later, the lights dimmed and a warm light washed over the screen.

They munched on their snacks through the previews, occasionally sharing popcorn or boxes of candy. When the feature finally started, Nicole stole a glance over at Waverly. The woman was now bundled in Nicole's jacket around her shoulders while her leopard print coat over sat her knees _("I get cold!")._ She was watching the screen was just a soft, simple wonder.

Catching Nicole's eye, Waverly whispered, "What?"

All Nicole could say back was "Nothing."

* * *

Nicole squinted against a bright, white light. It took her a moment to realize how groggy she felt, and that the nagging white light was the movie screen devoid of movie.

 _Oh shit! I fell asleep!_

Looking over, Nicole found Waverly tucked against her shoulder… also fast asleep. Nicole's coat was draped over Waverly like a blanket and her own leopard print coat covering her knees had slipped down slightly.

Nicole checked her phone.

 _2:21AM._

 _God. Damn. it._

A soft shake to Waverly's shoulders stirred the woman awake with a bleary blink. She darted upright in her seat with a frown and a curse. "Oh **balls!"**

Chuckling, Nicole gathered up her wrappers and crammed them into her empty drink cup. "I fell asleep, too."

Waverly gave out a disappointed groan. "I can't believe I frickin' fell asleep!" She shot Nicole a wide-eyed, frantic look. "I'm sorry! I promise I was looking forward to this! I just—"

"Wave," Nicole interrupted. "It happens. We had a long, crazy, **stressful** day." A smile curled her lips. "We'll do better next time."

"Next time," Waverly echoed in agreement as she handed Nicole back her coat (which Nicole noticed smelled like Waverly's perfume). She smiled that slanted smile of hers.

While Waverly shut down the projector and turned off the interior lights, Nicole snuck over to the cash register and left a trio of $20s on top with a note of thanks (she took a picture for good measure). Her ingrained cop instincts were sensitive to any situation that might be interpreted as bribing an officer… plus she wanted to contribute **something** to their first date (even if Waverly didn't know about it).

After locking up the darkened theater and hiding the keys under a side ash tray, Waverly and Nicole strode out through the near-empty parking lot. The evening chill had picked up, wind whipping dead leaves across the cracked blacktop.

As they approached their vehicles, Nicole noticed that Waverly was withdrawn. Nicole tapped her shoulder, and started to ask a "Hey what's going on—?"

But then Waverly pressed herself against Nicole in a tight hug. "I just… I can't believe she's leaving…"

Nicole tucked her head around that top bun as best she could, waiting a moment before asking. "…Wynonna?"

"No. Gus."

 _Oh._

The matron of Shorty's had always been stern with Nicole, but she'd always noticed the woman's softness towards Waverly.

"Where? When?" Nicole asked.

"Oregon. To live with her sister. And in like the next couple weeks!" A small sniffle. "She said there's too many bad memories in Purgatory. And without Uncle Curtis she wanted a fresh start. I just…"

"What?"

"It's nothing," Waverly trailed off with a murmur.

Angling her head, Nicole kissed Waverly's temple. She then softly said, "Please. You can tell me."

A few seconds of silence passed, but Nicole only stood there holding Waverly and waited. Patiently.

Finally, Waverly said, "It's just… everyone leaves Purgatory so **easily**. Momma. Wynonna. Gus. And here I am: still here. The only one who **stays** … the only one who **cares**."

 _I **care**. I'll **stay**._

"…This is our family's **home**. Our **legacy**. And I know it doesn't **seem** like much, what with the curs—uh…" Waverly caught herself and cleared her throat. "I just wish… I don't know…" Wiping at her cheeks, she smiled through glassy eyes. "Sorry, I didn't want to unload all this on you."

"I asked," Nicole said simply with a soft smile.

Clearing her throat again, Waverly straightened upright. "Change of subject!"

Nicole nodded and shivered in her coat slightly. "I had a good time tonight, Waves." Eyes twinkling, she couldn't help but tease, "For a last-minute date, it was pretty good."

It worked. Waverly squawked in faux-indignation. "Oh yea?"

"Yes."

"Well, **you** try planning a date when—" Waverly started rapidly counting off on her fingers, starting with the thumb. "—it's last-frickin'-minute—" Index finger. "—your date is a cop who works long hours—" Middle finger. "—it's a small town where everything closes at **nine** —" Ring finger. "—and you have a finite amount of favors that people owe you who also—" Pinky finger. "—happen to be awake when you call in that favor!"

She was breathless by the end of her list, but her eyes sparkled.

Reaching out, Nicole wove her fingers through that now-open hand with a wide smile. "And you did an amazing job."

"Did I?"

"It was perfect, Waverly."

"Even the part where we both fell asleep?"

"Especially that part."

Waverly hmphed skeptically, though she was still pleased.

They continued the last few footfalls to the side of Waverly's Jeep.

"…How many people in this town owe you a favor for something?" Nicole asked.

Waverly smiled. "Quite a few, actually. I'm a very helpful gal. Though I've never really needed to call any of 'em in… before now, anyway." Her voice softened. "…never had a reason to."

Tilting her head, Waverly raised an eyebrow in challenge. "…what would **you** have done different?"

"Well, I mean, I had this grand plan in my head ages ago," Nicole said with a rueful laugh. "But I failed to anticipate you breaking into my boss's office and making out on his couch."

Waverly blushed, but shrugged in acknowledgment. "What was **your** plan?"

It was Nicole's turn to count off on her fingers, though much more slowly. "First, I was gonna ask you out properly. Then I would pick you up at your house and we'd go to the county fair in the city. There, we'd dine on the finest cheap beer and junk food the Ghost River Triangle had to offer."

An approving nod from Waverly. "I like this already. Continue."

"Then I'd win you the biggest, ugliest, purple-est bear there was in some carnival game."

Waverly wrinkled her nose in mock-disgust. "Why purple?"

"Those are the rules: if you're gonna win a carnival prize for a girl, it has to be a huge purple bear," Nicole said matter-of-factly.

"Obviously," Waverly nodded with small sarcasm. She narrowed her eyes. "What would have been your game of choice?"

Making a throwing motion, Nicole had to jog her memory. "The one with the… bottles… Milk bottles… Hit-the-milk-bottles-with-a-baseball thing."

"Why that game?"

Pulling out her phone, Nicole showed Waverly a picture of herself clad in a Purgatory Sheriff's Department softball team jersey along with a tan PSD hat. "Because you're looking at the first base-woman of our department co-ed beer league. Season starts in April."

An impressed crinkling smile from Waverly. Nicole thought she heard Waverly whisper, "Wouldn't miss it."

Still counting her fingers, Nicole continued, "And after you had said horrible bear—"

"—that I'd make you carry around for me," Waverly interrupted with a laugh.

Nicole nodded in agreement. "—that you made me carry for you, we'd take a ride on the Ferris Wheel. And there, with the lights of the city sprawled before us…" Trailing off for a second, Nicole made a dramatic sweeping motion with her hand to simulate the distant skyline. "…we would have our first kiss. Fireworks ensue. Literal and figurative ones."

"Sounds magical," Waverly said with a grin. She made a dramatic hair-tossing pantomime. "…except I beat you to it."

A deep laugh rumbled in Nicole's belly. "You did. Somehow… someday… I'll be okay with it," she said with a measure of irony.

"Good!" Waverly chirped before stabbing a finger into Nicole's collarbone. "You better!"

Standing on tiptoe, Waverly kissed Nicole's lips deeply, her hands tugging at the pockets of Nicole's jacket. Nicole rubbed her hands down Waverly's shoulders when she felt the woman shiver.

"Hey!" Waverly said as she pulled away. She pulled out her phone. "Picture? I don't want to forget this because I was too frickin' tired."

"Absolutely," Nicole breathed back. Especially when she noticed Waverly's phone wallpaper was already the picture of the two of them from the gun range several weeks ago. She felt her cheeks redden, and not from the cold.

Just as Waverly's thumb hovered over the camera button, Nicole kissed Waverly's cheek. The camera clicked as Waverly giggled. The ensuing picture was a little blurry but…

"It's perfect," Waverly said with a grin. A few thumb taps later and Nicole felt an answering chime of her own phone.

["Waverly Earp sent an image"]

"So," Waverly trailed off, toeing at a loose stone in the pavement.

"So," Nicole echoed. "Call you tomorrow?"

"Absolutely."

Pressing a chaste kiss to Nicole's temple, Waverly dug out her car keys.

Nicole watched the woman drive away from the side of her cruiser, unable to move from that dim parking lot. She exhaled a long, deep breath.

All she could think of, over and over and over again, was:

 _Oh God. **Finally**._


	2. not just a secret

_Wherein Waverly helps out on an actual BBD operation before enjoying an ordinary, home-cooked meal with Nicole in their otherwise chaotic Purgatory life._

 _2nd part of an on-going series of how WayHaught is both friendship and relationship._

 _Takes place during early 1x10, pre-Willa. Mentions events in the show, Road to Purgatory, and one of my previous Just Friends fics, "just coffee."_

* * *

Walking the familiar hall on the way to the BBD office, a gruff stage-whisper jarred Waverly Earp out of her daze. She had been following close behind Wynonna, but slowed her gait so that she could backtrack to the Sheriff's Department double doors.

"…Hey!" Nicole Haught whisper-yelled again from her seat at the front desk. The corded desk phone was held to the woman's ear, her hand covering the mouthpiece. Nicole's dimpled smile was nothing less than radiant.

Waverly chewed her cheek as she eyeballed her sister's retreating back _._

 _Just one minute couldn't hurt._

She sidestepped over to the front desk with a small finger-wave. "Hey," Waverly whispered back. "What are you doing?" She made a thumb-and-pinky phone pantomime at Nicole.

An eyeroll as Nicole held the phone a little further from her ear. "Oh, I'm just on hold with the county trying to get some files sent over for Nedley... I've **seen** those archives. I think the last time that place was organized was when Wyatt Earp was still around," Nicole deadpanned with a mock-scowl.

But Nicole brightened as she nodded in the direction of the Black Badge Division office. "Y'all workin' on a case today? I was gonna go for a coffee run in a minute… if I ever get off the phone." She made a dramatic, wide-eyed frown and tapped at the notepad in front of her. A short list of coffee orders was already started for Sheriff Nedley, Officer Lonnie, and a few of the courthouse clerks. Question marks could be seen next to "Waverly, Wynonna, and Grumpy."

Waverly exhaled an excited breath. "Ohhh! That would be amazing! Yea, we're… in the middle of an operation." She threw a sly grin with a cocky eyebrow. "All very hush-hush."

"Uh huh," Nicole rolled her eyes good-naturedly this time. "The usual…(s)? I saw Wynonna go by. Is Dolls in, too?" She gestured with her chin after stumbling over the plural of "usual."

 _Minute's probably up._

"Yes please! And I'll go check!" Waverly backed away from the desk with a two-fingered salute, but not before Nicole reached out and ran her fingers down Waverly's wrist.

Nicole's eyes sparkled back before she returned to the other end of the call with a series of slow, professional "Yes… yes… yes" responses.

Waverly couldn't help but sigh and smile as she jogged back down the hall to catch up to Wynonna. Her fingertips subconsciously mimicked the gesture Nicole had done on her wrist, relishing the rekindled goosebumps.

Scurrying, she managed to slip inside that glass door just as Wynonna was chastising Dolls about his attempts at being cool. The Deputy Marshal was leaning back in a swivel chair, fat headphones balanced over his temples, a wide grin on his scruffy face.

"Are you saying we're in?" Waverly interrupted, her fists balled with hope.

After a few theatric taps on his laptop, Dolls spun back towards the two Earps with a flourishing hand motion.

The low, menacing voice of Bobo Del Rey came in over the laptop speakers: ["…Those Earp sisters may be bangable, but they're a boil on my scrotum…"]

 **"Hey!"** Waverly squawked, offended, before rushing forward and claiming the headphones from Dolls. "…we're in!"

The prospect of surveillance was actually exciting for Waverly.

 **Finally** : a change of pace from research or translations. Plus, it had been Waverly's quick-thinking in the bar to use the bronze boot tip jar to place the listening device, so she'd already claimed dibs against Wynonna on the walk over to the municipal building.

"All yours, sis," Wynonna had said flatly, hands raised in mock-surrender. "I'd rather be shooting the Revs than listening to them yammer about whatever it is they yammer about, anyway. Who's the ugliest, cooking recipes and the latest spring fashions, I'm sure." Rolling her eyes, she had made a jerk-off hand motion for emphasis.

 _Hmph._

 **Fortunately** , Dolls didn't fight Waverly for control of the headphones.

 **Unfortunately** , what amounted to Revenant surveillance ended up being a bunch of unflattering one-upsmanship among the other Rev-heads about what they were gonna do about the Earp Heir and her Goddamn gun. (And, thankfully, just some mild talk about Waverly's boobs; she managed to escape their more graphic/hostile scenarios.)

 _Ugh. Not any less disgusting knowing they're not human, though._

While Dolls and Wynonna quietly argued over the Earp Sister Joint Operation at Shorty's, Waverly snuck out her phone to confirm in a text to Nicole that Dolls was indeed in attendance.

[Nicole says: "Got it. And I finally got off that call. Next time I need to bring a book"]

[Waverly says: "I can lend you one when I get a break! I always keep one handy"]

She eyeballed her large purse hanging on the coat rack and tried to remember what all she had tucked away.

 _A Wyatt Earp retrospective about his early years? Ehhhh, maybe._

 _A demonology book about cult symbols? …Probably not what she's looking for._

 _Oh! What about that trashy western from Gus's old shelves?_

 _Aw… Gus… God, I'm gonna miss her._

Another incoming text made her phone vibrate on the table.

[Nicole says: "That'd be wonderful. Goin for a coffee run now, should be back in 30 with something tall and caffeinated"]

Waverly resisted the urge to text back _"You mean you?"_ But she just bit her lip and set her phone aside after a brief thank-you. She returned to her headphones and notepad, jotting down any significant names or places the Revenants discussed.

The Heir debate eventually decayed into just the clank of pool balls and the scraping of stools along with what the Revenants had been up to the night before. There was a brief mention of the Sheriff's Department that piqued Waverly's interest.

Apparently, someone had called the cops when the Revs first moved in and started ripping down some ( _of Waverly's!)_ Wyatt Earp memorabilia. But it was Lonnie who had responded to the call, and thankfully that sweet man had accepted Bobo's bullshit excuse that "the new owners were just doing some late-night renovating" without incident.

 _I wonder what Nicole would have done?_

There was a gentle rapping of knuckles at the office door that Waverly heard through the lull in conversation. Dolls and Wynonna, who had been studying a pushpin-laden cork board of known Revenants spotted at Shorty's, closed the doors to their little cabinet before Wynonna opened the door.

Speaking of Nicole, the young Officer smiled broadly as she brandished a drink carrier holding three tall to-go coffee cups.

Wynonna was baffled but grateful as she accepted the tray. "Damn, Haught. You're a mind-reader. I was jonesing for a coffee fix." She pre-emptively slapped Dolls on the arm. "And don't be a dick this time."

The man's back was to Waverly, but she heard Dolls sigh. "…I literally didn't say anything."

Nicole said jovially, "Hey, don't worry about it. Was just in the neighborhood and thought I'd hook y'all up." Her eyes only flicked to Waverly, but she gave a significant glance at one particular cup.

The elder Earp squinted at Nicole with a smirk. "I can't speak for the Boss Man here, but you're damn well in **my** good graces. And we need to have another drink again sometime. Tie one off for the Serial Killer Survivor club." She offered an outstretched fist, which Nicole bumped back with an airy laugh.

 ** _"Again?"_** Waverly tilted her head, but chewed her cheek against the question.

Clearing his throat, Dolls grabbed a cup. He said pointedly, " **Thank you,** Officer Haught." Then stood impassively waiting for Nicole to leave.

At his side, Wynonna shot him a disapproving glare and sighed. Waverly heard her sister mumble a faint, " **So** close, Dolls."

Taking the hint, Nicole retreated back behind the glass door. But she managed to shoot Waverly a small smile at the last second when Dolls and Wynonna returned to their corkboard.

Waverly leaned over to reach for the last cup that bore her name surrounded by a pair of small stars. Curious, she returned to her work station, but not before she popped off the top to inspect the coffee.

Inside, on top of the thin layer of cappuccino foam, was a small star etched in cocoa powder.

Waverly had to bite her lower lip hard, which her sister noticed. But Wynonna wasn't as perceptive as she thought she was. "Did she—they—screw up your order?"

"Huh? Oh! No, it's perfect," Waverly said as she replaced the lid and took a deep sip.

 ** _Really_ **_perfect._

She waited a few minutes for Wynonna and Dolls to continue studying their hit-list of Revenants before sending a pair of texts back to Nicole: the first was a single gold star, the second a red kiss.

A moment later, an answering red kiss emoji. She smiled to herself and settled back into her headphones.

* * *

Hours ticked by, as did the fast food bags and takeout coffees. Surveillance was such tedious, boring work. Waverly massaged a crick in her lower back. She could really go for some yoga stretches, but didn't think Dolls would be too keen on either the interruption or the display.

And Waverly wasn't sure what she had thought century-old undead demons would talk about all day, but how much they drank and who sucked the worst at cards was not in her top five. No master plan soliloquies from Bobo, no exciting in-fighting they could exploit, no discussion of setbacks or weaknesses or fears (other than their hatred of all things Earp).

Scowling, Waverly threw the headphones down in disgust around Hour 6 at the latest dick-measuring banter. "Literally **all** they're talking about is how many pints they can chug. …Ugh. Men are all the same, even the demonic ones." When she leaned up to finally stretch, she felt a fullness in her belly that she had been struggling to ignore.

 _Ugh._

Heading for the door, Waverly said, "Surveillance: **mucho** taxing on my bladder."

Wynonna slapped her ass as she went by, muttering a soft, "You did good, kid."

After exiting the restroom refreshed, Waverly shot a glance over at the BBD office. She decided against returning right away.

 _I've earned a **little** break, considering I had to listen to a bunch of grown men bitch about my sister for like six hours. …It's like junior high all over again._

Waverly stole a glance in the Sheriff's Department, which was almost empty. Only Nicole sat at her desk, an older Purgatorian that Waverly didn't recognize sitting across from her. Checking her watch, it was indeed once again Happy Hour At Shorty's for Nedley.

 _I can wait._

Striding through the desk divider like she belonged there, Waverly went over to the supply shelf to grab a large yellow notepad. She began jotting down a list of research topics she planned on hitting up later. Some of the Revenants mentioned during surveillance were new names to add to Waverly's master rolodex. Family histories, past crimes, how Wyatt killed them… the usual rabbit hole(s) for research gathering.

Nicole's polite, professional voice jarred Waverly from her thoughts. "Can I help you?"

She started to grin in response, but Waverly reigned it in when she noticed a) the strained look in Nicole's eyes and b) the older gentleman still sitting at her desk.

Waverly settled on clearing her throat with a demure glance downward. "Oh, uh, yes. Yes, **Officer**. I was—I was hoping to fill out a police report? Something was… stolen?" Her hand went subconsciously to her bare neck.

 _Willa's favorite necklace. I can't **believe** Bobo **took** that from me._

 ** _And_ **_Shorty's. **And** all the Wyatt Earp stuff I'd collected. I stuck out **so** many bidding wars for some of that stuff! And that **sonofabi** —_

"Of course," Nicole replied, warm and cordial. "Let me just finish up with Mr. Hamilton here and I'll be right with you."

"I'll wait!" Waverly trilled a little too cheerfully. But it worked: Nicole smiled widely before returning to the older man. Her eyes had a frustrated glaze to them and her smile got noticeably tight.

Keeping it super casual, Waverly resumed her focused note-taking for another minute. Though she did steal occasional glances over at Nicole, who finally seemed to be wrapping up her conversation.

"I'm sorry you feel that way, Mr. Hamilton, but you'll have to take it up with Judge Cryderman."

Mr. Hamilton scowled, indignant. "I dunno why you can't let this slide this time."

"It's a fourth strike on a DUI, Mr. Hamilton," Nicole reminded him as she slapped the file folder shut on her desk.

But the man finally— **finally** —got up from his seat. The moment his back was turned, Nicole mouthed at Waverly _"Oh my **God** save me he's been here for over an hour"_ before standing up with Mr. Hamilton. "…I promise I'll let Sheriff Nedley know you were here, sir."

Mr. Hamilton pulled on the scuffed blazer that was slung over the chair back. "Hmph. Randy needs to relax. Ward wasn't nearly such a stickler about this shit. …Just let a man drink in peace."

"It's not the **drinking** in peace, it's the **driving** ," Nicole muttered.

"What was that?" The man's head turned, but his expression was disinterested.

"Nothing, I was just showing you out, sir."

Another sullen "Hmph" from Mr. Hamilton as Nicole escorted him through the divider and pointed him to Judge Cryderman's door.

It took all of Waverly's willpower not to snicker. Instead, she continued on her page of notes, hip pressed against the small table. Out of the corner of her eye did Waverly keep watching Nicole.

Not saying a word, the other woman swept back over her desk and scooped up the file folder. As she approached Waverly, she added another file from the conference table to her collection. Nicole continued past Waverly and she felt a warm hand circle her wrist. Letting her notepad drop, Waverly shot a wary eye to the empty station as she followed.

Allowing herself to be pulled over to the Sheriff's open office door, Waverly smiled as she felt Nicole press her against the door frame. A broad smile and brown eyes filled Waverly's vision as she started to melt into Nicole's warm breath. She felt lips brush hers and—

An explosive sigh from the entrance made them both jump away.

Wynonna appeared, scowling and drumming her fingers on the counter. Her blue eyes narrowed in confusion. "…Are you guys in Nedley's office?"

Waverly hugged one side of the door frame while Nicole leaned against the opposite side, the file folder held to her chest in defense. Waverly felt heat on her cheeks and neck. Struggling for words, she gestured aimlessly with her hand.

Nicole exhaled through her cheeks and started stuttering, "Uh... cause when—I…"

"…Yes," Waverly finally answered with an awkward smile.

But Wynonna didn't even seem to notice, her eyes shifty and glancing behind her.

She took a deep breath. "OK, here she blows…" The older Earp slapped her open palms on the counter, shoulders twitching awkwardly. "Uhhhh…. Doc and I slept together." The words fell out of Wynonna's mouth in a rush, accented by the toss of a hand.

Waverly's jaw dropped in shock.

"And that's news? … **Really?** " Nicole replied with knowing sarcasm.

When she locked eyes with Waverly though, her expression changed to sheepish. "…to you…" Nicole mouthed an expletive just as the department phone rang. She resigned herself to answering it with a grudging "OK" before shuffling back to her desk.

Part of Waverly wanted to grab Nicole for support, but instead she stalked towards her older sister.

Wynonna seemed to sense Waverly's mood, her glare a half-hearted challenge. "Really? …we're **both** grown-ups."

Waverly sniped back. "Yea, well, **one** of you is a little more **grown-up** than the other, don't you think?" There was so much more she wanted to say, but not with Nicole present. Part of her hated the need for a filter.

Especially considering how badly Waverly wanted to **yell** at Wynonna right now.

Wynonna's mouth hung open before she muttered in agreement, "…Little bit."

"So why are you telling me this now?" Waverly asked.

"Because it's out there. …Thanks to Bobo."

" **Bobo** knows?!"

 _Shitballs._

"Yes. … **and** Dolls." Wynonna trailed off with a scowl.

 _Oh **shitballs**._

"Uh-ohhh." A question crossed Waverly's mind. "Well… do—do you love Doc?"

Her sister rolled her eyes before turning on her heel to retreat from this conversation. "It was **just** sex, Waverly. **God**."

"That's not a no!" Waverly called to Wynonna's departing back.

Waverly stood in the middle of the station, just dumbfounded and hurt and trying to process all this new information. She glanced over at Nicole, who was still on a call. Apologetic brown eyes met Waverly's. During a break in phone conversation, Nicole mouthed, _"I'm so sorry."_

Sighing, Waverly padded back to the BBD office with her yellow notepad in hand. Which… was empty. She returned to the laptop where the transcription software had captured Bobo's last words to Wynonna before a very abrupt ["Connection Terminated"] error message.

 _Ah._

Always the dutiful Earp, Waverly decided to enter all her notes into the BBD database before calling it quits. Her mind was craving the distraction, otherwise she would start to dwell on how much it hurt that Wynonna still kept secrets from her.

…Though technically Wynonna wasn't the only one keeping secrets: Waverly hadn't told her about Nicole yet. And Wynonna had almost found about that all on her own because they were careless.

She pulled out her phone and sent over a text message.

[Waverly says: "oh my god"]

An almost instantaneous response.

[Nicole says: "Oh my god"]

[Waverly says: "OH MY GOD"]

[Nicole says: "Oh my god"]

[Waverly says: "I thought for sure we had been busted"]

She grinned, her cheeks flushing again at the close call. One of the **few** times Wynonna's obliviousness worked in her ( _their?_ ) favor.

[Nicole says: "Dude also your sister banged Doc"]

 _Ughhhh._

[Waverly says: "I can't hear you. LA LA LA LA LA LA LA"]

Working for a little longer, Waverly managed to log the rest of her notes and rip off the page of names. She had a date with the city library in the morning.

 _Or… I could have a date right now?_

[Waverly says: "…Are you free tonight?"]

[Nicole says: "I'm free right now. Finally. Shift is over"]

Waverly bolted upright from her chair. She opened the door just as Nicole had her arm raised to knock on the glass, phone in her other hand. The woman held her Stetson under one arm and a familiar smile on her face.

"Hey," Waverly said.

"Hey yourself." Glancing around the hallway, Nicole leaned over to give Waverly a quick, chaste kiss. "…I was gonna head home." She glanced around the empty BBD office. "You off soon?"

"I'm off now. Walk you to your car?"

Nicole smiled and nodded, holding the door open as Waverly snatched up her own jacket and purse. Flicking off the lights, Waverly locked the door with Wynonna's spare key.

The distance between them as they trekked down the municipal building hallway was painful for Waverly. She kept stealing glances over to Nicole, who wasn't helping because she was doing the same damn thing and they were both smiling like idiots.

Nicole started, her tone dry. "So, **not** that the movie wasn't **great** the other night…"

"Whaaat? It was **amazing** ," Waverly trilled with irony, eyes twinkling.

"Uh huh..." Nicole raised a skeptical eyebrow.

Smiling insincerely, Waverly asked, "What was **your** favorite part?"

Nicole wrinkled her nose. "The… part—the part where… uh… Just… all of it. It was all so memorable I couldn't possibly pick."

"Mine was when the movie ended," Waverly said with a smirk.

An explosive sigh of relief from Nicole. "Oh thank **God** , me too."

Both women chuckled as they crested the front doors into the cold Purgatory evening. The sun was still barely up, but the cloudy sky was darkening into nightfall soon enough.

As they approached the small side parking lot, Nicole turned on her heel to face Waverly.

"What would you say to dinner? My place? I could cook… You could come inside and meet Calamity Jane for real…" Her expression was soft and hopeful.

Waverly smiled. "That… sounds **great** , actually. Yes, please."

Nicole gestured with her white cowboy hat. "You're a vegetarian, right?"

"Yep!" Waverly chirped, but then furrowed her brow. "…wait, how did you know that?"

Tilting her head, Nicole was confused. "You mentioned it? When we had coffee at Shorty's the first time?"

Waverly's voice got small. "You remembered that?" A weird, dizzy feeling started rolling around in her chest.

A dimpled smile. "Of course." Placing her hat on her head, Nicole didn't seem to notice Waverly's dazed look. "Pasta okay?"

"It's—ah—pasta's perfect."

"…are you okay?" Nicole asked as she dug out her car keys, hat tipping with her head.

Clearing her (suddenly thick) throat against that dizzy-chest feeling, Waverly nodded. "…Yea. Should I get some wine? Do you have a preference?"

"Whatever's your favorite," Nicole replied warmly, eyes glittering. "I'd love to know what it is. …plus, it'll give me a chance to change outta work clothes." She tugged at her uniform collar.

 **That** … was not helping. That weird, heavy feeling lurch harder all of a sudden.

Waverly made deliberate motions to pull open her map app for a refresher on how long it would take to get to Nicole's place. "…Okay, I'll head to the liquor store. See you in a bit?"

A cloud of vapor surrounded Nicole's gentle smile. "I'll be waiting."

Her brown eyes scanned the parking lot, but Waverly impatiently surged upward with a deep kiss. She felt Nicole taken aback, but return in kind after a moment. That taste of vanilla was worth it.

The drive to the liquor store gave Waverly a chance to swallow down whatever that tight feeling was. It also gave Wynonna the chance to start texting her.

[Wynonna says: "u homestead?"]

Chewing her lip, Waverly debated how much she should tell Wynonna… she settled for vague.

[Waverly says: "No. grabbing dinner. You?"]

[Wynonna says: "almost. goin 2 talk 2 doc"]

She wrinkled her nose.

[Waverly says: "good luck? Go get you some?"]

[Wynonna says: "…..gross, sis. c u home later. Love u"]

Short and concise, just like Wynonna always was.

Waverly sighed and scooped up her favorite zinfandel. She also slapped down one of the mini "airplane" bottles of whiskey on the cashier counter, too… something to help calm her agitated nerves.

It was stupid. Wynonna sleeping with Doc shouldn't bother Waverly… but it did.

 _Because she should know better? Because there's something off with him—other than the fact that he's, y'know, immortal? I mean, it **would** actually be par for the course in the weird shit-show that was our lives now…_

Her jaw set, Waverly started grinding her teeth. She could feel herself nurturing a bout of little sister spitefulness: she wanted to keep her and Nicole a secret from Wynonna.

 _See how she likes it._

Plus, Wynonna had made fun of **literally** everyone Waverly had **ever** dated… she didn't want Wynonna poking at this one. This was… special.

And Waverly **knew** it was childish to feel this way. But part of her liked the intrigue… like maybe if they kept it a secret, everything that was Purgatory and being an Earp wouldn't/couldn't touch Nicole. Like it was noble. … **Right**.

Everything was just… pushing in on Waverly. She didn't even reach her parking space before she had downed that little 2-ounce whiskey bottle and chucked it into the outside trash.

 _Bobo taking over Shorty's. Gus leaving. Wynonna keeping secrets._

 _Ugh. Why is Purgatory **like** this?_

Before Waverly could start debating if she should bail on dinner to nurse her souring mood, her phone pinged. A new SnapChat message from Nicole.

A tap opened on an image of Nicole, hair down, a ginger cat pressed to her cheek while a wooden spoon balanced in her hand. In the background was a pair of steaming pots on a small stove.

The text overlay read: ["Just started! Can't wait to see you!"]

Well, **that** did it.

Waverly sent back a SnapChat of herself holding the brown-bagged wine bottle, her lips forming an "O" of mock-intrigue. ["On my way! Hope you like it!"]

She smiled the entire drive to Nicole's, which got harder to navigate after the sun set. Because, like most of Purgatory, there weren't any street lights to help out over those lonely dirt roads. But Waverly's red Jeep was up to the task and she finally found the right path. There was a light outcropping of trees before the road opened up on a well-lit house alone on a small plot of land.

Headlights swept over Nicole's familiar white police cruiser, but also her SUV covered in a tarp (with fat snow tires in place). The vehicle's outline suggested maybe a Tahoe or an Expedition, Waverly couldn't remember which.

Crunching through the still remaining patches of snow, Waverly approached the house, wine bottle in hand. Nicole's house was a blue, two-story ranch-style with a broad front porch. On either side of the low porch steps were fallow patches of dirt for flower beds ( _or maybe a garden?)_.

Waverly felt a surge of anxiety as she reached the front door. Something about this was… hard to describe.

 _Big, maybe? Significant?_ She wasn't sure, exactly. Something she had to swallow down the nervous knot in her throat against.

After her fingertip found the doorbell, the heavy wooden door opened a few moments later. Dressed in a maroon knit sweater and jeans, Nicole welcomed her with such a crinkling, delighted grin… The knot loosened, letting Waverly breathe.

Nicole beckoned Waverly inside. "Hey! You found me. Did Google Maps take you down that dead-end at Faulkner again?"

"Oh yea, I thought I was gonna drive across someone's crops. Remind me, Officer, is that like an arrestable thing or more of an apology-slash-fine thing?" Waverly teased, shaking out of her jacket while offering Nicole the wine.

"Depends on who's farm you drove through," Nicole retorted dryly. She tucked her hand against in her mouth for a conspiratorial whisper. "Between you and me, someone like Mr. Hamilton probably would have had you shot." Her smile was apologetic.

Waverly laughed as she wiggled out of her boots and placed them on the mat by the door. "Oh my **God** what **was** that about at the station? …or is that like a cop/perp confidentiality thing?" An uncertain see-saw hand motion from Waverly. "I don't know the rules for that."

Shaking her head, Nicole inspected the bottle of red wine. "Not a perp… though still probably confidential. We'll just say he was not a happy camper… especially after he was caught a little **too** happy… wrapped around a light pole." Wrinkling her nose for a moment, Nicole then winked at Waverly and changed the subject. "This wine looks great. Wanna break into it now or save it for dinner? Which should be ready in—" A check of her watch. "—15 minutes."

"Oh God, **now** ," Waverly replied a little too quickly. "Er… now. Now would be fine."

"Okay." Nicole smiled softly and leaned forward. Brown eyes flicked to Waverly's lips before returning to her eyes.

Waverly gladly took the hint.

It was a different kiss than most of the ones since the Couch Incident.

Those were always rushed. Stolen. Hidden.

This one was… simple. Patient. Honest.

They both inhaled slightly at the outset, allowing a second for a smile. With a brush of tongue, Waverly savored a much deeper drink of that heady vanilla gloss. Her hand went to the back of Nicole's neck as she felt a matching hand on her waist, ticklish fingertips skimming her abs. Waverly pulled away with a bashful exhale-laugh.

Nicole just smiled and tucked a loose strand back behind Waverly's ear. "Welcome to my house. Want a quick tour?"

"Sure."

Popping the cork off the zinfandel bottle in a smooth motion, Nicole poured them both glasses then clinked hers against Waverly's.

"A toast?" Nicole asked.

"To?"

Nicole bit her lower lip, thinking a moment before grinning. "To… not being scared anymore?"

Waverly's answering smile was a wide, slanted, nose-crinkling thing that made her cheeks ache. "To not being scared of us."

They enjoyed a few slow sips together in silence, the semi-sweet wine ( _and company_ ) doing much to calm Waverly's nerves.

 _Or maybe it was just the whiskey kicking in._

Nicole's house was cozy. Hardwood floors. Walls awash in blues and lined with shelves. A small desk nestled next to the staircase. Central living area had a small reading chair, a loud-patterned couch ("It came with the house!"), a wooden coffee table and an entertainment center with a TV. The kitchen was around the corner from the doorway, bubbling stove on one side and wide counter on the other with a small breakfast table in the center. Waverly recognized a few IKEA pillows sprinkled around the room.

Calamity Jane lurked inside a low, boxy shelf. The ginger cat was bigger than Waverly thought she'd be. Honey-golden eyes peered suspiciously at Waverly, but the cat only patiently sniffed her outstretched fingers.

"That's a warmer welcome than Sheriff Nedley ever got," Nicole said, favoring the cat with an insincere glare. "Yowling and hissing and wouldn't get out from under the bed."

"I'm honored, CJ," Waverly cooed in a low voice.

Upstairs was a brief glance at Nicole's room(!), guest bathroom and a study lined with criminal justice books and police procedure manuals.

Waverly's eyes kept seeking out picture frames, eager to find clues about Nicole's past. Several smiling graduation photos (university and police academy, respectively). In another she was waving a piece of paper around, victorious over passing her police entrance exam. A smattering of her linking shoulders with fellow academy trainees in various settings (bars, shooting ranges, obstacle courses, etc).

One large frame staggered with photos seemed to be a timeline of some sort of survivalist camp; Nicole alternated between being covered in mud, drenched to the bone, covered in sticks and burrs, bundled and barely recognizable, armored in padded riot gear (red hair poking under a helmet), or clad in a wetsuit surrounded by scuba apparatus.

The air was noticeably colder on the second floor, and Waverly felt her arms pebble with goosebumps. A ringing kitchen timer brought them back downstairs, though Waverly noticed the chill lingered, her discomfort increasing. But Waverly was desperate to make a good first impression and not complain, so she attempted to muscle through it.

"So, what is the chef preparing this evening?" Waverly asked, head tilting in formality.

Nicole emptied the large stockpot of noodles into a colander and Waverly inched closer to the billowing steam to savor the heat. The woman smiled as she gave the second pot a rigorous stir. "Special Haught recipe. It's a Mediterranean pasta dish, totally vegetarian. And I've also got garlic bread in the oven and a small salad."

Eyeing the saucepan, Waverly made note of a hearty red sauce where mushrooms, artichokes, onions, tomatoes, olives and even capers roiled to the surface.

"Ooo, special recipe. Is there a story behind it?"

"Would you like an epic lie or the more boring truth?" Nicole asked as she mixed in the sauce with the spaghetti noodles and let them simmer together in the stockpot.

"Uh… let's start with the lie." Waverly leaned against the breakfast table, arms crossed attentively.

"There I was, in the wilderness, alone, trapped by a sudden thunderstorm…"

Waverly interjected. "Why were you in the wilderness? Which wilderness?"

Nicole made a light-hearted shushing noise with a dismissive hand-wave. "Not important. …Survivalist training for emergency management… So anyway, there I was… so hungry… my food pack had been swept away when I crossed a river. And there, in the middle of a nearby field, I spotted a small house. I could see smoke coming from the chimney. I practically collapsed at the door, cold and freezing. An old woman there made me this very meal. I recovered instantly and made it back to basecamp before the other rookies. Got a medal."

"Fascinating," Waverly replied dryly as she sipped her wine. "…and the truth?"

Chuckling, Nicole began doling out portions into oval pasta bowls. "…my grandmother was obsessed with Food Network and HGTV and pretty much spent all day every day trying out recipes from cooking shows. And she made me help when I came over to visit. She called this one 'Second Date Pasta.'"

"Are you serious?"

A sober nod from Nicole. "I am 100% serious. I already told my lie, remember?"

Waverly made a tight-lipped smile of approval. "How convenient. Is there a Third Date Pasta?"

"I think that's more of a lasagna. Or maybe a casserole. I don't know, I'll have to check the manual." Pulling out a bundle of foil from the oven, Nicole placed the small loaf of garlic bread into a straw basket. She gestured for Waverly to sit as Nicole finished setting the table.

"There's a manual? I've been doing it wrong this whole time?" Waverly feigned offense.

Nicole laughed as she settled into the opposite chair, clinking her glass against Waverly's again. "Well… probably not this **whole** time…"

"Gee thanks." Waverly winked back before digging in.

It was **delicious**. The rich sauce worked well with each bite of vegetable, occasionally a burst of salty or sweet breaking through.

Nicole smiled, watching Waverly eat while taking a slow sip of wine. "So? Was Nana Haught onto something?"

"She was. It's very good," Waverly smiled back. She paused a moment before asking, "So how much of the epic lie was true?"

An embarrassed, dimpled grin. "I **did** have to ford a river during training… and I did lose part of my food pack in the process. Got points docked for that… **and** dropped a few pounds." A headshake. "But I made it back to basecamp in the top 3, so I did actually get a medal." She gestured to the wall near the stairs where a small certificate was framed beside a little golden coin nestled in felt.

For the next half hour, they dined at Nicole's kitchen table. They laughed. They burned through most of Waverly's wine. Calamity Jane made a brief appearance, deigning Waverly worthy enough to rub against her shins (but not worthy enough to allow her to pet her).

It was… **nice**.

Stories of their childhoods flowed; skinned knees, embarrassing moments and class subjects (Waverly favored history and literature, Nicole excelled at math).

Waverly found herself avoiding talking about Wynonna… or Willa. Nicole seemed similarly evasive about her own family, her parents a mystery. So, there were still some secrets. But Waverly found herself not feeling too terribly guilty or nosey.

It was more of a sense of… they had time. Time to learn those details. Not everything right this second.

Waverly offered to help clean up, but Nicole refused. She offered her a spot on the (ugly) couch and the DVR remote. They still had wine left… still had time left in the evening.

The chill returned outside the warm kitchen, forcing Waverly to request a blanket. A trip to the hallway closet revealed a stack of various styles, flannels and throws and fleeces. She selected a particularly warm, worn fleece to drape around her shoulders as she sat on the couch. It smelled faintly of Nicole.

Remote in hand, Waverly sifted through Nicole's DVR, a hallowed window into the woman's world. What would she find? Trashy reality TV? An obsession with QVC or house-flipper shows? Awful comedies? Horror movies?

There were some sci-fi documentaries about space or the ocean. Another section of police shows like Law & Order and True Detective (of course). A familiar staple in Heartland and Dragon's Den, though she appeared to be several seasons behind in both. And Waverly was tickled to find old reruns of Street Legal, Due South and The Littlest Hobo in particular saved. She remembered watching some of these episodes on the Homestead next to Wynonna and begging Daddy to let them have a dog.

A few thumb-presses of the remote started a random episode of The Littlest Hobo, the signature German Shepard star appearing in the opening credits.

"Oh, I loved this show. I usually put on reruns when I'm stuck catching up on paperwork to make it more bearable," Nicole said as she settled in next to Waverly, pouring the last of the wine into their glasses. "This might sound stupid, but as a little kid I wanted to be Hobo and just go around helping people. I guess in a weird way that translated to becoming a cop." She smiled sheepishly as she took a deep sip of wine.

"How little a kid?"

"Really little," Nicole confirmed. She made a height-motion with her hand around thigh-level. "Like three years old."

It was **unbearably** cute.

Waverly snuggled deeper into the blanket. "Whereas I wanted a dog **so** badly, but Daddy refused. Momma always said 'someday' though. Someday never came."

Thinking of Momma reminded Waverly of the book she'd pulled from her car.

"Oh! I said I'd lend you a book!" She sprang up, leading the blanket along like a bridal train. Her large purse sat in a chair by the front door. Only a moment of digging before Waverly returned to the couch, worn paperback in hand.

She presented "Little Women" to Nicole through blanket-wrapped hands. "It was my absolute favorite growing up. Momma used to read it to me. One of the few things I have of hers. …have you read it?"

Nicole chewed her cheek a moment before answering. "I—I have actually read it, yes."

"Oh," Waverly said, disappointed but not that surprised (it **was** a classic, after all). She started to stand up again and gestured at her purse. "I have a couple others, actually! A Wyatt Earp memoir, if you're into that sort of thing, and my Aunt Gus has this collection of—"

A hand on Waverly's arm stopped her. Nicole tilted her head and asked quietly, "Could—could I still borrow Little Women?"

"Why?"

"Well… it's been a long time so I don't remember it completely. So I'd… like to read it. If that's okay. But I don't want to borrow something if it's too valuable." Nicole's expression was soft.

Smiling, Waverly shot her a suspicious up-and-down glance. "Can I trust you? Promise to give it back?"

"Promise." A warm, firm vow.

Waverly set the book on the coffee table and drained the rest of her wine. "Then it's a deal!"

She snuggled against Nicole as they watched the show. It was just as cheesy as she remembered. Waverly felt an arm tighten around her shoulders. She walked her fingertips out from her blanket to rest on Nicole's thigh.

At some point during the episode, things changed. Nicole's hand cradled her head before leaning into a kiss that became two and then a dozen. Waverly allowed herself to be pushed backward against the couch arm as she threaded her fingers through Nicole's loose hair. One episode blurred into another, tinny background sounds of barking or squealing tires faded as they kissed.

Waverly gasped at the sucking kisses against her lower lip, struggling to keep up. The hand at her waist pushed its way under the blanket until she felt Nicole's fingertips against her side, stroking gently.

A cell phone rang. A loud, unfamiliar ring tone.

She felt Nicole jerk back with an explosive sigh.

"Who is it?" Waverly asked softly.

An irritated grunt of a word. "…Lonnie." Nicole's wide pupils focused on Waverly's before she frowned in apology. "It might be important."

Nicole pulled away from Waverly reluctantly as she reached for the phone in her pocket. The woman leaned in for one last kiss, then helped Waverly right herself on the couch as she answered.

Waverly raked fingers through her long hair, smiling bashfully as she eavesdropped.

It was hard to tell what Lonnie was saying. Nicole's face started to scrunch up more and more the longer Lonnie talked.

Right when Waverly was afraid Nicole was going to burst with an expletive, instead she just sighed. "…Yea. I'll cover you." Nicole's voice got stern. "But you **owe** me one, Lonnie. And not 'I'll save you the last donut' owe me, neither. An **actual** favor."

There was a pause on the other end, but a mumbling assent.

"Good. Say hey to Marlene for me. …and remember: you **owe** me one."

Nicole sighed again as she hung up.

During that conversation, Waverly decided to check her own phone on the armrest next to her. She missed a text from Wynonna.

 _Shit. Shit! What time is it?_

11:03PM.

 ** _Shitballs!_**

[Wynonna says: "hey, where r u?"]

Waverly made a tight, cringing smile. This time, she settled for lying.

[Waverly says: "homestead"]

[Wynonna says: "ok"]

 _Whew!_

[Waverly says: "How'd it go with doc"]

[Wynonna says: "not good. told him there was no we and he got all quiet. whatever"]

She sighed. **God** , her sister was **bad** at this.

The only small comfort Waverly took was that Doc would **probably** be going drinking, so she wouldn't have to deal with his questions when she got home. …not that he ever had any **anyway**. He was actually a pretty decent tenant…

 _…And obviously he was good at being discrete_ , she thought with a scowl.

[Wynonna says: "i went out. don't wait up"]

[Waverly says: "OK be safe. Love you"]

"Wynonna?" Nicole asked as she nodded towards Waverly's phone.

"Of course."

A nod of acknowledgment from Nicole.

Which reminded Waverly of something earlier at BBD.

Tilting her head, Waverly asked, "So you and Wynonna went drinking?" She wasn't accusing, more just… curious. And also trying to decide if this was another secret to be mad at Wynonna about.

Nicole's brow furrowed for a moment before smoothing. "Go drinking? Oh! No, we didn't like… go bar hopping or something. I was clocked out at the station one night and she showed up with a bottle of Jack."

 _Definitely sounds like Wynonna._

"When was this?"

"Uh… well… So… it was the night of the engagement party…" Nicole started to look decidedly uncomfortable.

"Oh yea?"

A sigh before Nicole continued. "We parked under my desk and passed the bottle around. She was drinking because I guess Dolls got pulled back to D.C.? …or wherever it was he reports to? I don't know. She seemed distraught and needed someone to talk to. And I was—well…"

"You were what?" Waverly reached out to touch Nicole's hand.

"I was… just… kinda bummed? So, it was nice to have someone to hang out with. And Wynonna **is** pretty cool, when you get past the occasional attitude."

 _Ain't **that** the truth._

That gave Waverly pause. "Why were you bummed?"

Nicole's expression was pained. She started to speak slowly. "Well… if I'm being perfectly honest… because I—I wasn't invited. To… the party."

Waverly felt a distressed panic rise in her throat as words tumbled out of her mouth. "Oh gosh! I'm sorry! I didn't—I wasn't thinking and it was just a little thing for Stephanie and she—and I…"

"Wave," Nicole said as she squeezed Waverly's hand. "You didn't owe me an invite. I get it. You've lived here your whole life. You know everybody. You have your own friends. I wasn't bummed because I felt entitled to going to a party and got left out."

Nicole took a deep breath. "I was bummed… because… I wanted an excuse to see you. Outside of the station or a **crime scene**. Outside of uniform, cop **or** Shorty's." She shrugged. "I just wanted to see you and I wished I could. That's all. Selfish moping. No one's fault."

A pause. "And then I wished I could have helped, seeing what went down later."

Waverly wrapped Nicole in a tight hug that lasted a long time. "Me too." Pulling back, Waverly kissed Nicole's nose with a smile. "Well, now I know better. Next time I have a house party with psychos, you'll be first on the list."

"Good! …I think." Nicole gave a small laugh before an apologetic smile. "I guess I should let you get home. And I now have an early day tomorrow." She scowled.

"Me too, actually. Heading to the city to the library." Waverly stood up to gather her jacket and purse and step into her boots. She shot Nicole a sly grin. "Want me to go to the county courthouse and yell at the archive clerks for you?"

"Nah," Nicole replied as she kissed Waverly's cheek goodbye. She was holding the paperback of "Little Women" in her hands like a treasure. "I'm good."

* * *

 **Ren's Note:**

 _I did actually google a pasta recipe literally called Second Date Pasta. I thought it was hilarious._

 _I hope y'all like my Canadian TV references because I consulted with the best Canadian friend a girl could have for maximum accuracy. Bless you, Louisa._


	3. not just heavenly

_Wherein Nicole and Waverly have a quiet Wynonna-free day, but worry over the missing Heir (among other things) takes its toll. Makeouts, workouts and SnapChats galore._

 _Takes place smack dab in the middle of 1x10 while Wynonna and Dolls are "guests" of Lou/Yiska's forest cult._

* * *

Nicole Haught leaned against the BBD conference table for balance. A necessity due to Waverly Earp pressed against her, soft hands coiled around her neck. Their heads dipped in sync with their deepening array of kisses. One minute had turned to five had turned to fifteen. Time blurred, as there was only this kiss followed by the next.

Alternating between sighing and smiling, Nicole almost couldn't believe this was happening.

An entire lunchbreak: uninterrupted. No Wynonna. No Lonnie. No Dolls. No Nedley. No urgent phone calls or texts or radio dispatches. **Nothing**.

It had been… heavenly.

There had been a greater, more innocent purpose to Nicole's visit to BBD. Or, at least that's what she told herself as her tongue flicked over Waverly's teeth with a breathless laugh. A stack of files sat behind Nicole, police reports of Ghost River Triangle women killed by wild animals over the past few years (the most recent victim discovered just yesterday).

A "gift" for Dolls, allegedly. An excuse to see Waverly, actually.

Knocking on that glass door, it would be an understatement to say Nicole had been overjoyed to find only Waverly inside. Particularly a radiant Waverly in an asymmetrical white halter top, black mini-skirt and dark leggings under calf-length boots, her long hair tamed back by a teal headband matched by a thick teal belt at her waist. (A definite improvement over a scowling Deputy Dolls or a different-somehow-scowling Wynonna.)

"He's still off with my sister pursuing some lead," Waverly had said behind her own stack of printouts and old books fresh from the city library. Purposefully sifting her stack into a trio of piles, Waverly checked her phone. "I thought I'd hear from Wynonna by now, but I guess they're still wandering around in the woods doing God Knows What." She had shrugged, a bare shoulder bouncing.

Nicole swore to herself her intentions were purely as a courteous Sheriff's-Department-to-Black-Badge colleague. Just dropping off some files. Nothing more.

She had even made a small move for the door, an excuse on her lips that she was "just stopping by and didn't want to keep you from it." An excuse Nicole never finished as Waverly stalked over to her, freezing her in place with a sway of hips. The sweetness of Waverly's perfume trailed a second behind.

At least Nicole had had the presence of mind to fumble an elbow behind her to secure the office deadbolt in place… though that was after Waverly wrapped herself around Nicole's waist. She sighed into that first kiss, her fingertips sweeping down Waverly's cheek before cupping the back of her head. Nicole felt Waverly's hands trace up the lines of her uniform in cautious exploration, starting at her belt.

"What if someone—Wynonna… Dolls—comes back?" Nicole had whispered into Waverly's ear after trailing a line of kisses along her jaw. A dangling hoop earring butted against Nicole's nose, but she brushed it aside it to place a kiss behind that ear.

Exhaling through her nose in a light laugh, Waverly bounced a bare shoulder again with a shrug. "Then I guess we should probably stop…" She trailed off as she focused attention on Nicole's lower lip with a nibble.

"Probably," Nicole had murmured in agreement. Their hands met on the way—Nicole's down and Waverly's up—and they threaded fingers with a shared sigh and a shared kiss. Oh, but Waverly tasted of mocha and cinnamon sugar combined with a sweet coffee tang on her breath.

It was Waverly who guided them away from the door, hands still laced, before pushing Nicole against the nearby conference table. Waverly had wrinkled her nose playfully. "There's not somewhere you need to be, is there?" Hazel eyes flicked to the radio at Nicole's shoulder before returning. A soft pout started to form on the woman's face.

Nicole leaned forward to kiss that nose before resting her forehead against Waverly's. Voice husky, she replied, "Other than right here? No." A slanted smile pulled at Nicole's cheek. "I'm off the clock. For a little while, at least." She winked.

A mock-serious smile from Waverly before she slid her fingers out of Nicole's grasp and leaned in to claim another series of kisses. Waverly's hands settled at Nicole's neck, though they often caressed along cheeks, jaw, chin, neck and the exposed part of Nicole's collarbone. Those fingertips alternated between gentle and firm in their study, which made Nicole smile.

Blissful minutes had passed, absent of anything other than hitched breaths and exploring kisses.

Nicole had gasped, breathless by Waverly's intensity, but was determined to keep up with deep kisses of her own. She even allowed herself tentative strokes down Waverly's hips and up the planes of her back and was rewarded with a teasing whimper.

At some point, Waverly scolded Nicole with a tsking sound when she caught Nicole throwing wary glances at the door. Gripping Nicole's face with both hands, Waverly pulled away for a moment to cut her eyes in disappointment.

"I'm sorry," Nicole whispered. "Can you blame me? I'm half-expecting a call or someone barging in or—I dunno—the building to catch fire..." Nicole grinned sheepishly, readjusting herself against the table that was digging into the backs of her thighs.

Those thumbs stroked Nicole's dimples as Waverly settled herself against the apex of Nicole's thighs. Waverly held there for a few seconds, gaze flicking down to Nicole's lips and back to her eyes.

There was something… possessive about Waverly's touch. It was hard for Nicole to comprehend, other than it made her grip the woman's waist little more firmly than before. Any other thoughts disappeared when Nicole leaned forward again. Ghosting her lips over Waverly's, Nicole whispered "sorry" a few times, allowing herself the chase back into the moment.

Two things helped ease them out of this… session. The first was the audible growl of Nicole's stomach. The second was Waverly's apologetic laugh as she pulled away, saying, "Oh right, it **is** lunchtime for you, isn't it? Well, you're in luck..." She slowly trailed her hands down Nicole's shoulders to her arms before stepping back.

Still dazed by the last twenty minutes, Nicole blinked languidly. "Is it? I'd… forgotten…" She couldn't help stealing another kiss.

 _Very lucky indeed._

Straightening Nicole's collar, Waverly beckoned her over to a stack of Styrofoam containers on the side table. She flicked open the lids with a flourish. "Mateo's Tacos fresh from the city. Wynonna made me promise to get some next time I went… but she's not here, so…"

One taco happened to be missing from one of the containers. At Nicole's raised eyebrow, Waverly shrugged yet again. "I got hungry on the drive back," she explained simply before settling into a chair.

Nicole tucked in catty-corner to Waverly with a thank-you as she dug into the offered box. The tacos were cold, but Nicole didn't really care. She crunched down one taco and started on a second before catching an amused look from Waverly. "What? What's so funny?"

Smirking, Waverly leaned over and dabbed at Nicole's mouth with a napkin. "You're eating like I'm gonna take it away from you… and you've got my lipstick on your face." There was a red glow to her cheeks.

With a laugh, Nicole traced a thumb over Waverly's cheek and chin. "You too." It wasn't completely obvious, but there was a faint smear of pink outside the lines of Waverly's lips. Just that slight dishevel to her appearance warmed Nicole the same way that the possessiveness from earlier had. Knowing that Waverly wanted her as much as Nicole wanted her back was… heavenly.

Nicole threw a nod at the stacks of paperwork Waverly had been organizing. She kept her tone light and neutral, despite how eagerly she wanted to probe for answers. "Did you get what you needed in the city?" Her eyes flicked over the names of some unfamiliar history books and scans of very old newspapers.

 _Hmmmm._

"For the moment, I guess." Waverly scowled as she checked her phone again. "Hard to know if I got everything if my dumb sister or her dumb boss won't call me back." She smiled back at Nicole, but a worry line remained between her brows.

"Does this mean you're free tonight, then? Need a distraction?" Nicole asked hopefully.

She had been hesitant to bring it up, especially since they'd had dinner at Nicole's just yesterday… **and** were having lunch now. Nicole worried about coming on too strong, but that worry faded a little when her eyes returned to the faint smear of lipstick around Waverly's mouth.

Waverly's nose wrinkled in apology. "Oh, I'd like to— **love** to, really—but I can't. Aunt Gus asked me to help organize some stuff for her move." Her gaze turned thoughtful (and a little watery). "It'll be nice to stay in that house one more time before she leaves in a couple weeks. So many memories growing up there."

With a soft "Wave," Nicole reached out to touch Waverly's wrist.

Sniffing, Waverly blinked a few times and her eyes cleared. She returned Nicole's gesture by tracing her fingertips along the back of Nicole's hand. "Plus, I have a yoga class at the gym at 4." With a dramatic neck crack, Waverly rolled her shoulders. "Gotta work out all that stress from being an Earp." She shot Nicole her fiercest grin.

"It sounds rough," Nicole agreed with a teasing lilt. She glanced significantly at Waverly's lips and back to her eyes again with a smile before taking a bite of her last taco.

It worked: Waverly laughed then self-consciously dabbed at her own mouth.

Noting the time on the wall, Nicole sighed inwardly as she finished up her meal. They both spent a few minutes with their cell phone cameras on selfie mode to double as mirrors. It took a few napkins, a few dabs of concealer (and a few laughs) but any evidence of their lunch break antics now hid behind fresh makeup.

Snapping the cap back on her lipstick, Waverly tilted her head at Nicole. "You're getting off early, yea?" At Nicole's nod, Waverly leaned forward with her head on her hand endearingly. "Wanna go to the gym together? You work out, right?"

 _Oh God **absolutely**. …On both counts._

That warm feeling replaced Nicole's earlier brief insecurity. "I do. And I was screwed out of my morning run, thanks to **Lonnie**." She growled out his name with an eye roll. But Nicole's smile quickly returned. "GoodLife off of I-80?"

"I think you mean: 'the only gym in a thirty-mile radius?'" Waverly corrected with a smirk.

Raising her hands defensively, Nicole replied, "Hey hey, don't forget the Purgatory Municipal Rec Center. It gets the job done for us government lackeys... What with its one treadmill, one pull-up bar and one weight rack permanently reserved by Deputy Marshal Dolls." Nicole gave a tight-lipped, barely-repressed frown.

 _Well, that's not entirely true... On the few days when Dolls is on a case, the rec center is available for rookie flatfoot use. Except for his floor mat or his speedbag, both of which are off-limits._

That was one reason why Nicole had ponied up for a paid gym membership a month ago, especially after her hospital physical therapy following the Jack of Knives incident had ended. The other reason was… Nicole was not **entirely** unaware that Waverly went to that particular gym.

That had been an actual accident.

It was, as Waverly said, the only gym between Purgatory and the big city. And with Dolls commandeering the municipal building space a lot of the time _(training Wynonna, I guess?),_ Nicole at the very least needed somewhere with a weight rack. Running she could do outside (which she preferred anyway) but she quickly tired of bodyweight exercises on her living room floor (with a judgmental Calamity Jane looking on). And it just so happened the day Nicole had hit up GoodLife Gym off I-80 to sign up for a membership, she had seen a familiar red Jeep in the parking lot.

Checking her phone for a third time, Waverly said, "Well, I guess now's your chance to break into the rec center, since I know for a fact that Dolls probably won't be in today at this rate." Another brief scowl before her smile softened. "But… I would appreciate the company. If you have the time, of course."

Nicole shot a smile back. "You said your class was at 4?" When Waverly nodded, Nicole gave a nod back. "I'm off at 3. Meet you there at 3:30?"

"It's a date," Waverly confirmed before wrinkling her nose and tilting her head back and forth. "…More or less."

"More or less," Nicole agreed as she stood up and gestured at the door. "I gotta get back to it. You sticking around?"

A headshake and a shrug from Waverly as she poked at one stack of papers. "Nah. Gotta get back to the Homestead for my overnight bag and change of clothes. And maybe see if Wynonna made it back yet." Another check of her phone with that worried look.

"Hey." Nicole leaned over from behind Waverly's chair and wrapped her arms around the woman's neck in a high hug. Waverly tipped her head back to look at Nicole above her, eyes expectant. "I'd be more worried about those trees than about Wynonna or Dolls. She'd probably burn the whole thing down to get back to you," Nicole said, mostly joking.

 _…I know the feeling—wait, what?_

An upside-down smile from Waverly, nose crinkle and all. "You're probably right. I just hate it when she does this… it sucked when we were younger and she was running off all the time. But now it's almost **worse** because that means something might **actually** be wrong, you know?" That smile turned thoughtful and her gaze far-off, but Waverly refocused on Nicole with a short nod. Her chin came to a rest on Nicole's forearm.

"I know," Nicole concurred, placing a light kiss on her forehead. "You Earps are tough as hell, though. I'm more worried about whoever she's looking for in those woods. …But if you need me to rustle up the troops for a search party, say the word. Plus, I'm kind of an expert at filling out forms so it's all above board." She shot Waverly a dramatic, wide-eyed nod and got an exhale-laugh in response.

Waverly mouthed a thank-you as Nicole bent down to kiss her. Nicole had to suppress a grin when she felt a tongue flick across hers. Waverly was not so modest; when they pulled apart, her smile was bright and smug.

"Text me later?" Waverly asked.

"Absolutely."

* * *

Making record time for a change, Nicole was actually early as she walked into the gym, duffle bag in hand. A chilly afternoon gust cut through her light workout pants, but the alternative was strolling up in full police uniform. Instead, Nicole wore maroon running shoes, striped workout pants and a long-sleeve PSD softball Henley leftover from last year's losing team (luckily in size medium) under her heavy blue jacket.

 _Next year though…_

She tapped out a brief text to Waverly before dropping a pair of quarters into a wall locker. The women's locker room at GoodLife was pretty empty for a Thursday afternoon in the Ghost River Triangle. Snapping the coiled locker key band around her wrist, Nicole set her wraparound headphones at her neck.

A text message pinged.

[Waverly says: "I scored us prime treadmill real estate"]

Striding past a room of stationary bikes and ellipticals, Nicole quickly found a familiar row of treadmills, about half of which were occupied. Next to the window were a pair of towels draped possessively over two treadmill consoles (the left one also had a rolled-up purple yoga mat). And in front of those machines was a stretching Waverly Earp.

The petite woman was "sitting" on the floor, toned legs splayed out in the splits. She was finishing twisting one side of hair into a matching coiled bun before she pushed herself out of the splits into a deep hamstring stretch. When Waverly spotted Nicole, she broke out in a wide, crinkling grin. "You made it!"

Nicole was staring. Not modestly, either. Full-on, eyebrow-arching staring. She couldn't help it. A sleeveless, tied up t-shirt and cropped yoga pants accentuated every line of muscle and every curve that made up Waverly Earp.

Clearing her throat, Nicole dropped down to "tie her shoe" to hide her undoubtedly red cheeks. Mostly because that image was seamlessly merging with the memories of their earlier makeouts in Nicole's mind. That warm feeling from before was turning into…something else.

 _Not yet. Not til **she's** ready._

Her mouth was suddenly very dry, and it took a few seconds (and a few deep breaths) for Nicole to straighten up with a smile. "I—I did."

Waverly's head tilted in confusion. "You okay, Nicole?"

"Fine. Just…" Nicole trailed off and took a swig of her bottled water. Clearing her throat again, Nicole changed the subject. She nodded at Waverly's phone strapped to her wrist. "Uh, what do you listen to on a run?"

A different nose-wrinkle this time: Waverly chewed her cheek uncertainly. "You first."

Popping the head phone jack out of her phone, Nicole offered the open end.

Waverly unraveled her earbuds and snapped hers into the socket and nodded for Nicole to press play. She smiled as her head bobbed along to the music, a Fetty Wap track. "I love this song." A slender finger swiped up and down Nicole's playlist to examine the other song titles. Her approval was a tight-lipped grin. "Not just a country girl, then."

"I can like other things—genres," Nicole said defensively before giving an acknowledging shrug. "…not a **lot** of other things, but they're there. Especially for working out." She gestured to Waverly's phone again. "What about you? …or is it a secret?"

"No, it's just—you have to promise not to laugh." Waverly's expression was stern. When Nicole offered a three-fingered Girl Scout sign in promise, she plugged in Nicole's head phone jack before pressing play.

It wasn't music. A female voice listed complex phrases in a foreign language before offering the translation in English. From the inflection of syllables, it sounded like… "Hebrew?" Nicole asked.

"Uh, yea," she replied with a bashful shrug. "Thursdays and Fridays I do Hebrew. Sunday and Monday are for German. Tuesday–Wednesday Latin. I think I have enough of a handle on French to phase it out of the rotation for a little while."

"Wait wait wait. You speak **Hebrew** , German, French **and** —and—"

"Latin," Waverly confirmed with a smile. "Fluently." That nose wrinkle appeared again and she shrugged before confessing, "…most of the time. Still having trouble **reading** Hebrew. Definitely strongest with French and Latin."

Nicole was stunned. But her thumb hovered the other playlists in Waverly's library, and there were indeed several sets of language primers for advanced speakers. "That's… **amazing** , Waves."

"Yea?" That shy smile crossed Waverly's face as she plugged her earbuds back in then readjusted the phone wrist strap.

" **Yea** ," Nicole confirmed as she settled onto her own treadmill. A few button presses set the machine into motion. "How long did that all take you to learn?"

" **Still** learning." Waverly started up her own treadmill and quickly matched pace. "But I started French and Latin in middle school. German and Hebrew around sophomore year of high school. They didn't offer those at PHS so I had to teach myself on my own til I enrolled in some online college courses. Borrowed and ripped CDs from the library til Uncle Curtis got me a Rosetta Stone account." Her smile was fond. "He helped me pay for my online history degree, too."

Nodding, Nicole focused for a few seconds on regulating her breathing before answering. "That's **awesome** dedication. I took four years of Spanish in high school and I can barely remember how to count." She shot Waverly a sheepish grin, body bouncing in rhythm with her running feet.

"I could help you if you wanted to pick it back up! …well, French and Spanish are sort of close. Italian would be closer, which I think I started last year but…" Waverly trailed off as she started swiping through her phone. Her confident suggestion downgraded to an apology. "Damn, I must have deleted it off to make room for the Hebrew. I can check, though!"

With a laugh, Nicole waved her off. "Don't worry about it." She considered it though, largely because of the amount of time it would probably take would correlate to the amount of time spent with Waverly. "…Well, maybe as a New Year's Resolution or something," Nicole amended with a smile.

Waverly did a jumping skip on her treadmill. "Just let me know! I'm a great tutor!"

"I will definitely keep your number."

Her answer was a bright grin.

As Waverly started to slowly put in her ear buds, Nicole had one last question. _Well, question **(s).**_ "Are you going on a big trip or something?" At the woman's quirked eyebrow, Nicole clarified, "I mean, what made you want to learn all those languages? What do you use them for?"

That bright grin faded. Waverly chewed her cheek as she ran in place, one ear bud rolling in her fingertips. "It's—uh… for helping Wynonna. And Dolls. You know… Government things."

"Oh. Okay. Sure."

Recognizing a sore subject, Nicole gave a tight nod and put in her own earphones. They ran in amicable silence together, their huffing breaths sometimes audible above the blaring music in Nicole's ears.

Nicole was still struggling to navigate these weird, sticky Earp topics. Especially with her growing relationship with Waverly. But the latent detective in Nicole couldn't help but mull over the details: she **knew** Waverly was lying, just not **why** _._

 _Wynonna Earp had been gone for years. Her employment at BBD was a recent development. Why the government hired a woman with an obvious criminal record, I don't know._

 _And Waverly… she said she started studying foreign languages at a young age. So, clearly she had been preparing for… something. Something to do with Wynonna and BBD?_

 _I don't know._

 _Could it have something to do with what's been going on in Purgatory?_

 _I don't know **how**. _

Nicole glanced over at the younger Earp, who was staring off ahead out the window as her run got more aggressive. Waverly silently mouthed in response to the tutorial playing in her headphones.

 _Is she ever going to tell me?_

 _…I don't know._

 _Am I okay with that if she doesn't? Ever?_

 _…I… don't know._

An elbow tap roused Nicole from her thoughts. On Nicole's left, Waverly gasped from her (now stationary) treadmill, her smile bright (if a little forced). Beads of sweat dappled the tan skin of her forehead and arms.

Nicole pulled out her earphones and slowed down her pace. She arched her eyebrows expectantly.

"Hey," Waverly said, throwing a thumb behind her. A purple mat was tucked under one arm. "I gotta run to my class. Did you wanna come?" Her hazel eyes were faintly pleading/apologetic.

Eyes flicking to the door, Nicole shrugged. "Nah, it's okay. I'll probably go a little longer then do some weights." When she saw the hurt look reflected in Waverly's eyes, Nicole cursed at herself for her stiff tone. She tried to salvage it with a warm smile. "Go work off that Earp stress, yea? I gotta work off my Lonnie stress… on that punching bag." Nicole made a playful right hook motion.

"Okay, uh… I'll see you when I'm done, right?" Waverly asked, her voice small and vulnerable.

Nicole stopped her treadmill, wheezing through heavy breaths. She rested her hands on her hips and bent forward slightly. Glancing around the room, Nicole said softly, "I'll be here. Promise." She made another three-fingered Girl Scout sign.

When that made Waverly break into a smile, Nicole leaned forward to capture the woman's lips. There was resistance for a moment, but Nicole felt that smile widen against her cheeks. Waverly whispered another "Okay" before turning on her heel to the adjoining room. At the door, she gave Nicole a small wave then joined her other classmates.

Firing the treadmill back up, Nicole ran like her life depended on it. While she did so, she opened up a map on her phone and started browsing her options. She had an idea.

* * *

A tap to Nicole's elbow again roused her from her thoughts. Waverly's hands were raised in a defensive position as she smiled back at Nicole. Holding the swaying punching bag she'd been pounding away at, Nicole yanked out her headphones yet again.

"You're still here!" Waverly announced cheerfully.

"Of course," Nicole said with a smile. She shook the punching bag's chain through a borrowed boxing glove. "I had to show this guy what for."

Surveying the lumpy bag, Waverly gave a tight smile of approval. "I think he learned his lesson."

"Until next time, then!" Nicole threatened the bag with a final punch before taking a seat at the nearby bench to untape her wrists. She eyeballed Waverly in between heavy breaths.

The woman looked almost as ragged as Nicole. Both of their shirts had damp spots at their necks, back and armpits. One of Waverly's hair buns had started to come loose in light wisps. Nicole didn't want to know what her own French braid looked like after nearly an hour of dumbbells plus punching bag.

"How's the stress?" Nicole asked as she dabbed her white towel at her neck.

Nose crinkling, Waverly shrugged. She waved her phone back and forth. "Could be better. Still haven't heard from Wynonna. Or Dolls. Left another message." After a final swig of her water, Waverly resumed chewing her cheek.

"Okay, so…" Nicole started as she reached into her duffle bag hidden under the bench. "…so I know this kind of defeats the purpose of working out, but I thought we could use it." She placed two small cups on the metal bench. Plastic spoons jutted out of a scoop of ice cream in each.

 _And maybe something of an informal apology for sulking,_ Nicole thought to herself. She grinned hopefully at Waverly, brow furrowed with worried expectation.

A few seconds of stunned silence followed. Waverly's smile was soft at first, then grew teasing. "Isn't it a little cold out for ice cream?"

"Well, if you don't want it…" Nicole trailed off as she made a motion to put them back in her duffle bag.

A squawk of outrage. "I didn't say that!" Waverly narrowed her eyes. "…what flavor?"

Nicole alternated pointing at one cup then the other. "I stuck with the classics. Chocolate chip cookie dough. Double chocolate." She picked them up and offered them to Waverly.

Another long moment of consideration before Waverly nabbed the double chocolate cup.

"Oh thank God," Nicole said as she made room for Waverly on the bench. "I was afraid you were gonna take my dough from me."

"How come you almost let me?" Waverly asked as she sat down, mimicking Nicole's straddle of the bench. She dug into the scoop of chocolate with gusto.

The metal surface amplified both women's body heat and made the small room more humid somehow. But it made the cold ice cream taste all the sweeter by comparison.

"A win-win either way," Nicole said while taking a giant spoonful. "I get something I like, or I get to share something I like. With someone I like." She winked as she rolled the cool cream on her tongue. "Plus an excuse to ask you what your favorite flavor is. Or flavor **s** … no point in limiting yourself to just one."

Waverly's smile was tight and slanted for a few moments as she threw a couple of coy glances at Nicole from under heavy eyelashes. She wrinkled her nose in consideration as she squinted skyward. "Top three, then. Chocolate is a classic. Obviously. I like mint chocolate chip, too. And they have matcha ice cream at this cute shop in the city I like."

"I've never had matcha before," Nicole said thoughtfully. She stuck her tongue out in playful disgust. "Mint chocolate chip though… blech." Another wink.

An answering wink back. "Well, no one's **perfect** ," Waverly implied sadly before brightening. "We'll have to go get some matcha some time! It's super good!"

"Absolutely."

They finished their ice cream amid giggles and nostalgic stories from childhood. It was also a slightly bashful dance as they returned to the women's locker room to shower and change.

Ever the chivalrous one, Nicole kept a respectful distance from Waverly while she tended to her own quick shower. They only bumped into each other once, crossing paths on the way to their lockers while wrapped in white towels, hair dripping in loose tangles. But Nicole did spy a mirror reflection of Waverly's appraisal via a long look up and down her half-dressed form. She smiled to herself.

After parting ways in the GoodLife Gym parking lot, Waverly promised to text Nicole later from Aunt Gus's. Nicole settled in for the night on her couch with Calamity Jane, a glass of wine and a familiar, worn copy of Little Women. "Property of Michelle Earp" was inscribed on the inside cover.

It was a couple of hours before the first SnapChats trickled into Nicole's inbox. She had sent Waverly a few pictures earlier of her socked feet, choice of wine, and what chapter she was on. Calamity Jane's butt also made an appearance with the note ["If I have to look at this, so do you"] to an answering ["lol"] of a text.

Waverly sent back a long story of images recounting her evening with Gus.

In front of a sea of haphazard boxes, Waverly flexed into the camera, squeezing her own bicep with a fierce grin. ["Get your tickets to the GUN SHOW!"] She sported a variation on her workout outfit from earlier, the main difference being a loose sleeveless shirt over a colorful sports bra.

She demonstrated her box labeling and detailed checklists with a smug grin. ["This is how you get shit done"] That long wavy hair was twisted back in a single bun with a pair of Sharpie markers stabbed in like hair sticks.

Gus MacCready stretched out in an easy chair with a beer bottle in hand, an open photo album in her lap. ["I made this for her when I graduated high school"] Gus smiled back at Waverly fondly.

The storage shed was a jumbled nightmare of boxes and loose farm machinery. Waverly was visible in the lower left corner with an animated scowl. ["Nuh-uh. No way. This is how you get tetanus"] (Immediately followed was Waverly's Google history of local donation and dump pick-ups, her scowl changing to a more determined expression.)

Eventually Waverly migrated over to a closet where it became a stop-motion dress-up simulator. Most of Aunt Gus's wardrobe involved older, very 70s/80s sundresses and frocks (that Waverly didn't so much try on as she hung the hanger over her neck for a trial look).

But Waverly did try on a dress that continued into a text conversation.

[Nicole says: "You look like you're having a good time. Getting a lot done?"]

[Waverly says: "Well, Gus cleared out a lot of stuff after Uncle Curtis died a few months ago, so not too bad"]

 _Ah_ , Nicole thought as she took another sip of her wine. She had picked up a bottle of Waverly's favorite Zinfandel while she was out on rounds this morning. An excuse to give it another try… while actually an exercise in optimism.

A SnapChat came over of Waverly in a black dress waving long-dead strands of glow sticks in one hand. The style was dated with obvious shoulder pads, but it was still a very flattering cut.

[Waverly says: "I can't believe Aunt Gus wore something like this! I need to ask if she ever went like clubbing in the city"]

[Nicole says: "OMG I'm dying to know. Please please ask her now"]

[Nicole says: "I NEED to hear this story, Waves"]

[Waverly says: "Can't. She went to bed like a half hour ago. Early riser/farmer and stuff"]

[Nicole says: "Oh… damn :P"]

[Waverly says: "WE should go out! Get dressed up and go to the city!"]

[Waverly says: "Get that macha ice cream! Srsly itll change your life Nicole"]

[Nicole says: "Oh I bet it will ;)"]

[Waverly says: "Do you have a black dress?"]

[Nicole says: "Like that one? Sorry. Left my shoulder pads in 1990"]

[Waverly says: ":P No like a real one"]

[Nicole says: "Do you?"]

A short pause before a series of winking faces. [Waverly says: "Of course I do. I'll show you mine if you show me yours"]

 **That** … gave Nicole pause. She leaned back with a smile. [Nicole says: "Why spoil the surprise? I'd rather see in person"]

[Waverly says: "Aw you're no fun"]

[Waverly says: "I was thinking…"]

[Nicole says: "Whatcha thinking"]

[Waverly says: "Maybe we get dolled up. Little black dress and all. Maybe go out on the town"]

[Nicole says: "I like this plan"]

[Waverly says: "Maybe we end up back at your place. Maybe some candles. I dunno"]

Nicole practically heard the wiring in her brain short-circuit. It came in the form of her choking on her latest sip of wine accompanied by a baleful glare from her cat on the armrest. Fortunately, no errant red drops landed on the open book pages in her lap, though Nicole had to pat her sternum a few times to ease her coughing.

[Nicole says: "I REALLY like this plan"]

[Waverly says: "yea?"]

[Nicole says: "Definitely"]

A sprinkling of heart and kiss emojis followed that Nicole repeated back.

[Waverly says: "Well I'm gonna turn in. Having breakfast with Gus tomorrow and she gets up EARLY"]

[Nicole says: "Okay Waves"]

She paused. Her thumbs hovered over the keyboard. Part of Nicole didn't want to ruin the magic of the moment, but the other part… [Nicole says: "Did you hear from Wynonna"]

Rapid-fire texting. [Waverly says: "Still no. I'm worried. Gus says Wynonna just got wasted and slept it off in a barn somewhere"] More slanted, unsure smileys.

[Nicole says: "Harsh"]

[Waverly says: "They weren't BFFs growing up"]

[Nicole says: "Wynonna also didn't have a Dolls. I'm sure he's keeping an eye on her. Whether she wants it or not"]

[Waverly says: "I hope you're right"]

[Nicole says: "Me too. Get some sleep, Waverly"]

[Waverly says: "You too Nicole. And tomorrow: WE GO OUT!"]

[Nicole says: "Looking forward to it"]

[Waverly says: "Me too"]

Nicole fell asleep with a deep sigh sitting on her chest (or maybe it was Calamity Jane). That warm feeling was swirling into a hopeful giddiness.

It was… heavenly.

* * *

The next morning, Nicole awoke to her phone rumbling on the nightstand.

[Waverly says: "Wynonna finally showed up. Going to meet her at BBD now"]

 _Oh thank God,_ Nicole thought with a relieved sigh. Despite her rocky relationship to the elder Earp, Nicole **did** like the woman ( _…for the most part)._ And not just because of Waverly.

[Nicole says: "Everything okay?"]

[Waverly says: "Don't know yet"]

A few uncertain smile emojis trailed after Waverly's text.

[Nicole says: "My shift starts at 9, but if you need me let me know"]

[Waverly says: "Thanks. And you said you dropped off some files at BBD yesterday? Something about missing girls?"]

[Nicole says: "Yes. On Dolls' desk. Goes back decades. Why?"]

[Waverly says: "Just a hunch"]

[Waverly says: "Thank you, Nicole"] and a series of kiss symbols followed.

Closing her text app, Nicole set the phone aside on her night stand and stared at her ceiling for a few minutes. Calamity Jane gently kneaded on Nicole's stomach before curling up again.

 _… **Am** I okay if she can never tell me what's going on?_

Nicole still didn't have an answer. But she didn't have to decide right now.

 _Besides, "never" is a very long time._

* * *

 **Ren's Note:**

 _It has occurred to me that in some of my past stories I was notorious for interrupting WayHaught. I cut them some slack this time._


	4. not just another long day

_Wherein Waverly and Nicole deal with a delinquent Doc and a rather hectic evening. But a few moments of peace in an otherwise crazy day. At least Nicole is in a good mood._

 _Takes place at the end of 1x10 to showcase what Waverly and Nicole might have been doing while Wynonna/Dolls/Willa took care of business._

* * *

A tired ache rippled down Waverly's spine, the result of too early a morning and too little sleep fretting over her absent sister. She stifled another yawn.

Drumming her fingers on her laptop, Waverly worried at her lower lip with her teeth. A handwritten note sat next to her bearing a list of 10 names underscored by a big bold " **HELP** " at the bottom (a "gift" from the recently returned Wynonna).

Wynonna paced the small office, her haggard blue eyes making her look like a caged animal. She sighed in anger as she put her (brand-new) cellphone to her ear again. "Voicemail," Wynonna scowled. "Which Dolls never listens to because he says it's antiquated."

 _That's… a rather specific thing to know about Dolls,_ Waverly thought with a nose-wrinkle as she cross-checked the next name on the list. The sinking feeling in her chest was growing with each hit to the police database.

"Yo! Dummy! Stop being a dingus and call me back!" Wynonna barked into her phone. "…and please be okay, also…" She trailed off with an eyeroll and an awkward hand-wave before throwing the phone down.

 _Jeez she's_ _ **bad**_ _at this._

"Are you all right there?" Waverly asked softly. She dragged a finger down her cheek to mimic the pair of angry black lines around Wynonna's right eye. "What **is** that?"

"It's like Sharpie, it won't come off." Wynonna whined as she wiped at her eye again then checked her fingers (still no residue). She poked Waverly in the shoulder. "Find anything?"

 _Nothing_ _ **good**_ _._

Sighing, Waverly tapped her finger on her laptop. "Every single girl on this list? Found dead. Scattered around the Ghost River Triangle." She pushed open one of Nicole's files where ugly photos showed gore and meat and little else. "Autopsies say that they were 'toyed with and then killed by animals that had gone rogue,'" Waverly quoted from the topmost report.

"Rabies?" Wynonna asked, eyes narrowing in worry.

"No, just… torture." The wording alone was starting to make Waverly a little sick to her stomach. "Like, every single bone in their body broken, their skin licked off."

Wynonna's face contorted in exhausted defeat. "This is why I don't do pets," she said simply.

"Have you seen the last word on the list?" Waverly asked with a point to the scrap of paper bag the names had been written on.

"Yea. 'Help.' Eve and the rest of those girls are still out there." There was a tired determination in Wynonna's voice.

"Yea. With Lunatic Lou," Waverly agreed.

Shaking her head, Wynonna looked over the girls' photos and reports spread out on the table. Her eyes were hooded. "Delinquents and runaways. I mean, it could have just as easily been **me** back then that got sucked into this asshat's scheme." She frowned.

Waverly reached out and patted Wynonna's thigh propped up on the table edge.

"Whiskey Jim said he has a weapon…" Genuine worry crossed Wynonna's face.

"So do you," Waverly said encouragingly. "A big gun." Her eyes flicked to Wynonna's belt.

Wynonna cringed, her eyes deliberately not meeting Waverly's. "Which I lost. In the Pine Barrens."

 **"…** **What?!"** Waverly's voice was a squawk of outrage.

"Along with my partner," Wynonna continued. "…why is he not back yet?" She slapped her thigh impatiently and glanced around the office with a huff.

"Maybe they didn't drop him in Purgatory," Waverly suggested.

"Which means he's alone. In the woods. Which he hates." Licking her lips in a scowl, Wynonna jumped off the table and scooped up her phone before hauling ass out the BBD office door. A loud, deadpan "Shit!" echoed down the hallway.

Waverly started to follow, but made eye contact with Nicole at the police desk. Plus, part of her was—frankly— **pissed** at Wynonna. Especially after being sick with worry for the past day (a worry that turned out to be well-founded, since there was a frickin' **cult** in the woods kidnapping girls).

And to make matters worse, Wynonna had **lost** Peacemaker: the **one** thing that could break the curse. And the Pine Barrens were a **big** place. A needle in a haystack made of needles.

Waverly felt a tremor of despair join the tired ache in her shoulders. She let Wynonna tear off down the hall and instead leaned over the desk in front of Nicole to brace herself.

That exhaustion lightened a little when Nicole smiled at her, brown eyes sparkling with eagerness.

"Okay," Nicole murmured as she set down the clipboard she'd been working on. "So where were we? Because I seem to think it was something about, like, candles… you trying to get me into a sexy… black… dress…" Nicole trailed off when she noticed Waverly's withdrawn expression. Her eager grin sobered to concern. "…Something's wrong."

 _Oh shit._ _ **Shit!**_ _We were supposed to go out!_

 _But Peacemaker! And Dolls! And those girls!_

 ** _Shit!_**

Groaning inwardly, Waverly's eyes searched the desk as she pensively clasped her hands in front of her. "A **lot** of things might be wrong. Dolls and Wynonna and her **gun** …"

Nicole, still on the chipper side, furrowed her brow in confusion. "Okay, what **is** the deal with that gun, anyway?"

The dispatch radio at the end of the desk crackled to life. The female Ghost River Triangle operator sounded bored. ["We have reports of a pink, four-door sedan driving erratically on Highway 81. Please respond."]

Waverly's head shot up to glance at Nicole. She felt a brief twinge of anxiety. "…did she say pink?"

 _Oh God, he had to do this_ _ **now?**_

 _…_ _this is all my fault._

A tight frown accompanied Nicole's confused look before she arched her eyebrows in question.

Face scrunching with apology, Waverly offered a pleading, toothy grin. "Please? Can we go check it out? It's important."

Nicole squinted back, but Waverly could see her resolve weakening. After a few seconds, Nicole rolled her eyes good-naturedly and sighed (with a small smile). She reached over, grabbed the radio and clicked the call button. "10-4. Officer Haught responding." She nodded at the exit for Waverly to follow as she gathered up her jacket, gloves and Stetson from the coat rack (after telling Phillips she would be out on an 11-95).

Bundled in a brown jacket, scarf and ear muffs, Waverly met Nicole out front of the station. That tired weight still lingered in Waverly's shoulders, but being with Nicole woke her up with a familiar, giddy feeling in her chest.

"Just so you know…" Nicole muttered quietly, her eyes twinkling with amusement. "…it's not really standard operating procedure to bring a civilian for a ride-along on a traffic stop."

Offering a wide, crinkling smile, Waverly skipped slightly as she teased back with mock-confusion, "And here I thought this was a **date**. Is it not?"

"God I **hope** not," Nicole smirked with a breathy laugh. "It's definitely not what I, **personally** , had in mind? Unless there's something you're **really** not telling me."

Chuckling, Waverly nudged at Nicole's shoulder with her own. "Buy you lunch on the way over and I'll explain?"

Pulling off her Stetson and holding it to her chest, Nicole raised an eyebrow. "This **is** a date. Or else you're bribing an officer, Waverly Earp. Tsk." She shot Waverly a dramatic frown before stepping into her cruiser.

Getting into the passenger side, Waverly brought up her phone to try and formulate an intercept strategy. "Less of a bribe, more of a—just that this is… kind of… sort of… probably… my fault?" She cringe-smiled, brows furrowing in apology.

Nicole squinted back at Waverly with skepticism but angled her cruiser down the main thoroughfare. "Somehow I **doubt** that. …Drive-thru Sam's Samwiches okay?"

Waverly nodded as she studied her phone. It only took about 5 minutes to hit up the deli sandwich drive-thru and be on their way to I-80. A light snowfall sprinkled on the windshield, which sent a pang of worry through Waverly about where Wynonna (and Dolls) had run off to. She crunched on a salt-and-vinegar potato chip as she thumbed around the map app.

 _Where are you_ _ **going**_ _, Doc Holliday? You big dummy._

Taking a sip of her steaming coffee, Nicole asked, "So what's the deal? Who's in the pink sedan? …Can't be Wynonna, cuz I saw her with **you** five seconds before the call came in. …how's she's doing, by the way?"

"She's okay… for Wynonna. She lost Dolls in the woods so she went to go look for him," Waverly said with a worried frown.

"Oh dang. Does she need some help canvassing?"

The thought of Dolls throwing a fit over Nicole bringing the cavalry to track him down in the woods almost made Waverly laugh. _It'd serve that big, lone-wolf stiff right._

"I doubt he'd appreciate the fuss, but… you never know. Maybe be on standby? Is that a thing you guys do?" Waverly wrinkled her nose.

Nicole repeated the question back, "Is that a thing the Purgatory Sheriff's Department does? Not usually." Drumming her gloved fingers on her steering wheel, Nicole turned on to the I-80 on-ramp. "…is that something I'd do because you asked? Of course." She winked at Waverly.

That giddy feeling lurched slightly. Waverly smiled back. " **Thank you.** And thank you for those files from yesterday, by the way. I think we mighta cracked that case. More or less."

Mouth tightening into an impressed line, Nicole started to say something before the police scanner crackled to life.

That same bored, female dispatcher. ["Another sighting on the pink sedan, this time northeast just past FM 4592. Staties clocked the vehicle going 140 in a posted 50. Officer Haught respond."]

 _Yes! And we're heading in that direction!_ Waverly tugged at Nicole's sleeve, who nodded back. The cruiser sped up slight with a thrum of the throttle. Dusty snow billowed around them on the near-empty highway.

Pulling up her radio, Nicole brought it to her mouth with a click. "10-4, Haught responding and in pursuit. Did they get a license number on the vehicle?"

["Vanity plate. Sierra-Tango-Oscar-November-Echo-Charlie-Oscar-Lima-Delta."]

"Copy that. Haught out." Nicole's brow furrowed as she put the radio back. She glanced over at Waverly. "'STONE COLD?' Seriously? Who **is** this?"

Waverly just grimaced. "So, um… yea. It's—it's Doc."

"Doc? Doc-Doc. That guy living on the Homestead that looks like he fell out of a Western? The one Wynonna is… you know…"

 _"_ _Banging?" Not anymore._

"That's the one," Waverly agreed with a sigh.

Nicole's fingers splayed on her steering in an attempt at an exasperated hand motion. "…I have so many questions, I don't even know where to begin." She chewed her cheek a moment, her neck stiffening. "…are you gonna ask me to go easy on him? Or sweep this under the rug?"

"What?" Waverly tilted her head, semi-offended. "Oh! No! God no, Nicole! Doc **definitely** deserves whatever it is you're gonna do to him. And **then** some. No, I just want to be able to **yell** at him when you do."

A breathless exhale of a laugh as Nicole grinned back. She narrowed her eyes for a second. "Wait, I thought you said this was 'sort of' your fault? But you're going to yell at him?" Her head bounced back and forth as she digested that thought.

Waverly played with another potato chip in her fingers before slowly replying. " **I'm** the one who suggested he… learn how to drive yesterday. And **I** definitely didn't teach him, and Wynonna wasn't around. Sooo…" Popping the chip in her mouth, she crunched with a sheepish smile.

"Ohhhhhh." Nicole drew out the word with pursed lips. "Wait, he doesn't know how to drive? Then why— **how** does he have a—?"

"Oh! There it is!" Waverly shouted as she saw a pink speck in the distance. She patted at Nicole's elbow in excitement.

"I see it," Nicole said as she put the call in over the radio. A flick of her thumb on the dashboard turned on the lights and siren.

Admittedly, this was actually kind of exciting for Waverly. It drowned out the gnawing anger she was feeling towards that stupid cowboy for a minute or two.

That pink speck grew to a distinct Cadillac backend with the red glare of taillights. Nicole did have to come up alongside the sedan, which was thankfully no longer going 140 but still weaving erratically on the snowy surface. She had Waverly lean back so she could point an emphatic finger to the side of the road, which Doc did manage to oblige.

The Cadillac slowed down and pulled off to the side (Doc probably didn't know how to use his hazard lights). The cruiser came to a stop just behind the sedan, the noisy siren turned off while the red and blue flashers remained. Powdery snow swirled around them in heavy gusts.

Sliding a ticket pad out of her center console, Nicole glanced over at Waverly (who was glaring at the other car, her anger rekindled).

"Stay here?" Nicole asked as she snapped the pad into her metal clipboard. "I need to do my job."

Waverly just nodded, still staring ahead.

There was a click of a door latch as Nicole stepped out of her car. She set her white Stetson on her head before adjusting her gloves and coat. Waverly admired the view for a moment. There was a calm confidence to Nicole's walk, and she could practically hear the woman's soothing voice when saw Nicole's head tilt as she approached the driver's side window.

Watching the two exchange words made impatience build in Waverly's chest. She chewed over her family's dealing with that Goddamn Doc Holliday since he'd showed up. Most of the time, he'd been trouble.

 _But he'd been_ _ **our**_ _kind of trouble… Wynonna's kind at the very least. And he seemed_ _ **sort**_ _of loyal, at least to the Earp name? What the_ _ **hell**_ _, Doc? One little spat with Wynonna and you just_ _ **bail?!**_

Unable to take it any longer, Waverly popped out of the passenger side. She wasn't gonna stop Nicole from giving him a ticket ( _oh_ _ **please**_ _arrest him please please_ _ **pleeeease**_ ), but she **was** gonna give that flighty hustler a piece of her mind.

Waverly stomped towards Doc, fire in her eyes. She saw his terrified expression in the side mirror as she approached. Her voice was an indignant, high-pitched shout. "How about a **frickin'** explanation, huh?!"

Nicole shrank back slightly at Waverly's rage, but a please smiled curled her lips. The Officer just continued writing her (very straightforward) ticket and stayed out of Waverly's way.

Waverly heard Doc's soft Southern drawl from inside the car. "If there is **any** kindness in you: you will arrest me, and **quick**."

"Sorry there, Stone Cold. Not getting off so easy," Nicole drawled back as she ripped out the ticket from her pad. A long list of fines was spelled out on the paperwork (failure to have valid ID, failure to have valid registration, speeding 90 miles above posted speed limit) for a grand total of $630 and a court date for late December.

 _Serves him right._

Nicole stepped away and gave Waverly a cringing smile (and a wide berth). She whispered, "I'll give you two a minute" before crunching back in the snow to her cruiser. Through the windshield, Waverly could see Nicole taking a bite of her sandwich and a sip of her coffee. The woman tipped her hat in acknowledgement.

Setting her arm on the driver's door, Waverly ground her teeth as she studied the man. Doc sat back in defeat as he examined the strip of carbon-copied paper. His moustache twitched in confusion before his eyes sheepishly glanced over at Waverly in his periphery.

"So where do you think you're going?" Waverly asked sharply.

"Well, I thought I'd visit my Mama's grave in Valdosta. 'Bout time, I reckon." Doc's gaze was far-off and fond. He almost sounded sincere.

Waverly didn't buy it for a second. "… **Bullshit** , you're headed northeast." She pointed down the highway. Valdosta was **south** east.

Those blue eyes softened as Doc shrugged back at Waverly. "I have vanquished my enemy. I have taken her horse. I am **finished** here, Waverly." He gestured with an apologetic hand.

"This was your plan the whole time," Waverly said, voice hard with accusation.

"No, this was **your** plan," Doc retorted with a familiar, smug smile. "You told me to learn how to drive."

That made Waverly scowl, mostly because it flared up the guilt already rattling in her chest. "I didn't mean 'leave Purgatory without a word!'"

He wasn't wrong. She could have put off going to the library yesterday. She could have stayed and taught Doc how to drive. He was hurting over Wynonna and she knew it (even if he'd never admit it). But part of Waverly had wanted to punish him for sleeping around with her sister, for always keeping secrets… For always being so full of **bull** shit.

"I do hate goodbyes." There it was. For just a second, there was a flash of heartbreak in Doc's eyes. He gave an acknowledging nod before his gruff façade returned.

"Look… we **need** you, okay?" Waverly pleaded. When Doc gave Waverly a scoffing smile, she continued, " **She** needs you."

Doc rolled his tongue over his teeth, his tone laced with bitterness. "Well, she has Dolls." He arched his eyebrows significantly at Waverly before his eyes returned to the road.

 _Oh shit…_ _ **really**_ _, Wynonna?!_

Waverly was running out of steam… and solid arguments. "…can't you at least try?" she asked softly. Her eyes flicked back to the cruiser behind them. A visible Nicole had her radio to her mouth, though she waved a finger at Waverly with a smile. "…I mean, I'm trying with Nicole."

It was the first time she'd actually told another person, out loud.

 _"_ _I'm with Nicole."_

And of all people, she chose Doc. She couldn't trust the man as far as she could throw him… but **This** … she knew he understood This. And she knew he understood This wouldn't always be easy, but you still tried anyway.

 _Please_ _ **try**_ _, Doc. For once in your miserable, selfish life._ _ **Try**_ _to be something better._

Doc managed an appreciative smile… before his expression hardened. "Difference is: she adores you back." With a tilt of his black hat, Doc turned the ignition. The engine sputtering to life, that pink Cadillac struggled with the icy road for a second before it rumbled off down I-80.

Waverly stared off after Doc, her anger cooling to a sense of loss. She wished she knew what to say. As much as Doc frustrated her, Waverly knew deep down there was a good man in there. She'd seen it. He was a part of this whole Earp Curse mess—a part of Wynonna—no matter how much he tried to run away.

If only he knew it.

Shivering in the snow, Waverly slipped and slid her way back to Nicole's cruiser. As she settled into the blessedly warm car, her phone pinged with a text message.

[Unknown says: "found dolls & peacemaker! going after that shitstick lou. wish me luck babygirl! ….christ I need a drink or ten when this is over"]

Adding Wynonna's new number to her phone, Waverly texted back a fond good luck. She could tell her sister about Doc later. **Hopefully** the man would come to his senses on his own.

"Everything okay?" Nicole asked with a final bite of her sandwich. She eyeballed the retreating vehicle. "Technically, I probably should have had him impounded. **Serious** lack of ID."

Waverly shot Nicole a sad smile. "If he comes back, I'll make sure he gets a license and stuff."

"'If' he comes back?"

Nodding, Waverly buckled herself in and dug into her own sandwich (she'd been too filled with rage to eat earlier). She wrapped one hand around her own cup of coffee and savored the warmth.

Nicole tilted her head. "Do you mind if I ask: what is Doc's **deal?** "

 _That's a big question._

"What do you mean?"

Gesturing wide with her hand, the woman gave an exaggerated head shake. "Like his **whole** deal? He dresses like a card shark from the 1800s. He's also got no ID, no prior record, no hint that he even **exists**. …And is Doc short for Doctor?"

"Yes," Waverly confirmed with a suppressed smile.

 _Trust me. I went through this whole gambit of emotions when I first met him._

Nicole made a soft sputtering noise in the back of her throat with dismay. "What in **God's Name** is he a doctor **of?** "

Waverly had a brief mental image of all the Earp history she'd absorbed over the past decade. The file on one Dr. John Henry Holliday was quite extensive. "He was—is a dentist, actually."

 _Like 145 years ago, but still._

"That Gambler rip-off is a dentist?" Nicole made a horrified face. "I'll stick with my bi-annual cleanings in the city, thank you."

"Probably for the best," Waverly confirmed with a chuckle, as the mental image of Doc trying to use modern dental tools was priceless. She waved her phone at Nicole. "I heard back from Wynonna. She found Dolls. And her gun."

Laughing lightly, Nicole agreed, "Well as long as she found her **gun**." She winked at Waverly as she shifted the cruiser into drive and made a U-turn back towards Purgatory.

"So I—I don't think we can go to the city tonight. For ice cream and… stuff." Waverly winced with apology, fretful that Nicole would be upset. "I'm really sorry. It's just—I don't know. I just don't think we can."

A worry settled in Waverly's stomach like it always did when Wynonna went out. She had escaped Lou before, though. But Waverly didn't know how taking down Lou might impact Wynonna. Wynonna seemed to take those kidnapped girls pretty hard, so it was a 50/50 chance she'd either want to talk about it or just drown her sorrows in a bottle all alone somewhere.

 _And she was already promising needing a drink or ten… Ugh, I can feel the hangover already._

Waverly wanted to be there for her sister, regardless. That was what family did, after all.

But… it meant disappointing Nicole. That Wynonna Worry was mixing together with the fear of screwing up her new relationship. Bailing on dates, lying about the Earp Curse, hiding things… what if—what if it became too much to deal with? She chewed her cheek in consternation.

Looking over at Waverly, Nicole's brow furrowed as her lip jutted out in sympathy. Nicole cooed with a slanted smile, "Oh, **baby**. …you **have** been dating too many shit-heads." Her tone was mirthful with an almost patronizing understanding.

Sucking in an angry breath through her teeth, Waverly opened her mouth to protest… then stopped. She then snapped her mouth shut and her cheeks puffed out from a defeated exhale. Scowling, Waverly gave a weak nod. " **No,** I—Okay… **Maybe**?"

A hand found Waverly's wrist and stroked it reassuringly. "Waverly, you—and Wynonna and Dolls—your work is complicated. And **I'm** a cop. We don't always get to pick a good time for stuff. We just… make it work when we can and hope for the best when we can't. That's all we really can do. Okay?" Nicole's smile was gentle.

"Okay," Waverly agreed softly. She placed her other hand over Nicole's on her wrist. Her thumb traced along the back of the woman's hand. "…just so you know, I **was** really looking forward to it."

"Yea?"

"Yea."

"Me too," Nicole replied with a warm smile. "Though I've gotten spoiled seeing you pretty much every day this week since we started… all this." She gestured between them with her other hand. "Which is pretty **amazing**." Nicole gave Waverly a determined look. "But I'm not in any hurry. I just… want **you** to know: there's no hurry. Okay?" Nicole looked like she wanted to elaborate, but she just waited.

 _Maybe… maybe_ _ **I**_ _want to hurry,_ Waverly thought with a wicked smile. But she just nodded back in acknowledgement. "Okay." She gave Nicole's hand a firm squeeze before releasing it.

"I know we can't go like **out** -out, but… would you be free later? **Just** dinner?" There was a hopeful lilt to Nicole's question.

Just then, Waverly's phone rang. She held up a hand with a "Hold that thought."

 _Aunt Gus?_

["Waverly! Are you at the Homestead?"] The older woman sounded out of breath.

"Nope, I'm… out." She glanced over at Nicole whose cheek twitched with a smile.

["Okay, well I'm comin' by later with some stuff. The tools for your shed we discussed and some of those books and things you picked out yesterday at the house."]

"Okay. Did you need me to let you in?"

["Nah, don't fuss, girl. I've still got your spare key that I'd best be returnin'. …Wynonna around?"] There was some worry in Gus's voice. Even after all these years, those two still had trouble getting along.

Waverly peered out the window to look at the cloudy afternoon sky. "No, she's… out on a case. Probably won't be home 'til real late. If at all."

["Still can't believe someone saw fit to give **our** Wynonna a badge and a gun."] Gus gave a disbelieving chuckle.

 _Well, just the badge. The gun came with._

"She's pretty dang good at it, Aunt Gus," Waverly reminded the woman.

["I'm sure she is. You eat yet?"]

Squinting with one eye in a wince, Waverly said, "I, uh… was gonna have dinner with someone. But I can meet you at the house after? If that's okay?"

Nicole looked over, eyebrows arched. Her lips formed a little line of suppressed joy.

["That's fine, honey. Don't fuss. I can keep myself busy. I was gonna bring by some leftover stew I'd made. You should have some… You're lookin' like skin and bones these past few weeks. You eatin' enough, girl?"]

Waverly sighed in exasperation. She looked down at herself, insecurity flaring up. "I don't **think** I've lost any—I don't look **that** bad, do I?" She shook her head, not waiting for an answer. "…I'm **fine** , Aunt Gus. I'll see you at the house, okay? Pick you up your favorite beer. …and don't say 'don't fuss' cuz I'm **gonna** fuss," Waverly warned in a severe tone.

["Okay okay."] Gus relented with a dry laugh. ["See you at the Homestead, kid. Love you."]

"Love you too," Waverly replied then swiped to disconnect the call.

When she glanced over at Nicole, the woman seemed to be smiling to herself about something. "…What?"

"I—nothing!" Nicole said as she cleared her throat and shifted in her seat. When Waverly glared at her expectantly for a few seconds, she opened her mouth and licked her lips in an awkward stall tactic. "I was—just… I don't think look you bad."

Squinting at how terrible that sounded, Nicole tried again (very slowly). "I… just meant… that… I think… you look… good. …Amazing, actually." She glanced back at Waverly with a cheesy grin.

"Oh!" To say Waverly was pleased was an understatement. She grinned back. "Thank you. You look pretty amazing yourself."

Clearing her throat again, Nicole asked, "So… um… I'm off at six. If you wanted, you could hang out at my place til then? If you're not busy?"

"Oh, that'd be great! I definitely don't wanna go home yet. Knowing Gus, there's a million things in the house we didn't fix right and she's gonna tell me every. Single. One." Waverly smiled to herself at the thought of hanging out at Nicole's. "And! It'd give me and Calamity Jane a chance to bond."

"Good luck with **that** ," Nicole quipped with an eyeroll. "I'm not saying it's impossible. I'm just saying you've got your work cut out for you." She winked. "But if anyone can do it on the first try, it'd be you." Her smile was small and unreadable.

Nicole had to address a few radio calls on their return to the station, which gave Waverly time to think. She kept stealing furtive glances at the woman, who was still cheerful despite everything. Even the dispatcher's needling or the threats of more desk duty didn't dampen Nicole's mood.

 _How was she so effortlessly sweet?_

It made Waverly ache a little in her chest. She was used to Champ's brand of sweet that accompanied a pause to have it acknowledged. Like a "I did good, huh?" type of attitude.

It was like… Nicole just **was**. Without any hidden motive or expectation. It was comforting.

 _Thanks…_ _ **baby**_ _._

* * *

When they returned to the station, Nicole turned over her set of house keys to Waverly. Nicole thanked her profusely for taking care of Calamity Jane til she got home. With a small kiss, they parted ways just outside Nicole's cruiser. The snow finally started to lighten up, too.

Waverly made a very long detour to the liquor store near Nicole's house after coming up with an ingenious idea. It took her about two minutes to find a six-pack of the seasonal Molson that Aunt Gus loved, but about twenty minutes to gather the other items on her list. Luckily, she did eventually find everything she was looking for, all wrapped in a decorative bag. She clutched both tight as she made her way back to her Jeep.

And no tiny whiskey bottle this time. No jangled nerves. Just that giddy happiness in Waverly's chest.

She managed to make it to Nicole's on the first try, remembering the weird, hidden side road leading to the small blue house. With a click of the deadbolt, Waverly headed inside after kicking the snow off her boots. She stowed away her gifts in the kitchen for later.

The house was a little cold for Waverly's liking, but she didn't want to be a rude houseguest and start messing with the heater. She **did** remember where Nicole's side closet was that held spare blankets, though, and grabbed a couple. The blanket she'd used a couple nights ago still sat folded on the couch arm. Just waiting for her to return.

Before building a blanket nest on the couch, Waverly walked a circuit of the house and cooed for Calamity Jane. The ginger cat was nowhere to be found, and Waverly had a brief stabbing worry that she was missing or had escaped.

Squinting her eyes in consideration, Waverly made her way back to the kitchen and started a sweep of pantry and cabinet doors. In the lower pantry, she found an open bag of dry cat food and a small stack of tins.

 _I… probably should have asked how much to give her._

 _Oh well. This is a goodwill ambassador mission. Gotta build that trust with the lady of the house._

Grabbing a handful of dry food and one of the flat cans, Waverly made a repeat of that cooing noise.

She sprinkled the pellets loudly into one end of the dual food bowl and waited a moment.

Nothing.

Waverly slowly tapped the top of the can before giving the lid a slow peel. The metal creaked loudly as a weird, heavy salmon smell hit her nose. By the time she finished removing the metal lid, there was a hopeful meow at the entryway.

Calamity Jane stood just at the corner's edge, staring back with honey-colored eyes. She watched Waverly very carefully as the woman upended the can before surging forward to start eating. She allowed a tentative stroke of her fur before swiveling around to glare when Waverly tried again. A paw was readied to swipe.

"Okay, you big grump. You **will** love me, eventually. You're just delaying the inevitable."

Only a glare in response as CJ went back to eating.

During Waverly's sweep she also found an opened bottle of zinfandel which made her smile. Waverly knew they'd finished off the one she'd brought the other night, which meant Nicole had picked this up on her own. She poured herself a small glass and went to work building her blanket nest on the couch.

It felt weird, being in Nicole's house without Nicole. Waverly wasn't sure where she belonged, or if she was messing anything up. Leaning over, she scooped up the copy of Little Women she'd loaned Nicole.

Based on the bookmark, Nicole was nearly done already. Waverly smiled and opened to see what part she was at before tucking it back into place. It couldn't hurt to reread it again. Maybe they could talk about it when Nicole finished.

Settling into her pile of blankets, Waverly stretched out on the couch with her book and took a deep sip of wine. She started to read.

 _Chapter 1. Playing Pilgrims._ _"_ _Christmas won't be Christmas without any presents," grumbled Jo, lying on the rug._ _"_ _It's so dreadful to be poor!" sighed Meg, looking down at her old dress._

* * *

The front door opening awakened Waverly, followed by a soft "Hey, you."

Bolting upright, Waverly looked around. It was dark outside. The house was dimly lit except for her reading lamp. A ginger cat was perched at the end of the sofa back, stretching lazily as it looked up at Nicole.

"Hey! …What time is it?" Yawning, Waverly stretched. Her little nap had been rather refreshing.

"After seven," Nicole said apologetically as she slid her jacket onto the wall coat rack. "Judge Cryderman's secretary just **loves** to talk."

"Dolores? Oh yea, you're lucky you made it out alive," Waverly agreed with a chuckle. She stretched out her hand to Calamity Jane, who sniffed her fingers. After a moment, the cat gave her hand a brief face-nuzzle before jumping off the couch. "Did you see that?!"

Nicole laughed as she reached down where Waverly couldn't see. The motion of her arm indicated she was giving the cat's thick fur a good scratch. "I did! You worked a miracle."

"And you **doubted** me," Waverly said seriously, feigning offense.

"I **said** you'd have your work cut out for you," Nicole reminded her with a wink. " **And** I was rooting for you."

Smirking smugly, Waverly stuck out her chin. "Mmmhmmm."

Waverly beckoned the woman over with a finger, who eagerly obliged as she made her way around the coffee table. After patting the blanket pile to figure out where Waverly's legs ended, Nicole flopped down on the couch with a grin. "You look **very** comfortable."

Not saying anything, Waverly pulled Nicole into a deep kiss. Her hand trailed around the back of Nicole's now loose French braid. She felt a hand search around her side for the edge of the blanket before slipping underneath to her bare abs with a gentle stroke.

Running her fingertips along Nicole's jaw, Waverly flicked her tongue over Nicole's lips with a wicked grin. The woman exhaled in a light laugh through her nose before responding in kind. Nicole leaned into Waverly which pushed her back against the couch into her blanket pile. Their heads had to switch tilt for a better position, their noses bumping along the way. It was Waverly's turn for a breathy laugh just as Nicole pulled at her bottom lip with a nibble.

They pulled apart for a second, eyes searching the other's face. Waverly saw quiet wonder in Nicole's eyes. She wasn't sure how she looked, but whatever Nicole saw made her smile wider. They dipped back together for a slow, soft kiss. That hand at Waverly's side shifted and stroked upward, tracing its way up her ribs.

With an impatient whimper, Waverly dropped her hand down and tugged at Nicole's uniform shirt. The button-down pulled loose from Nicole's belt, giving Waverly free reign to slip her own hand to find bare abs. Her skin was so soft and **warm**. The was a slight flinch and a brief chuckle when apparently Waverly hit the wrong ( _right?)_ spot.

 _So. She's ticklish._

Nicole pushed back with a deeper kiss, tongue flicking along Waverly's upper lip and teeth. She felt an answering whimper from Nicole as the woman's head dropped. That hand roaming her ribs ghosted over a breast before sweeping up to her neck. Lavishing kisses down Waverly's jaw, Nicole trailed down her neck before that hand started to push her green top's shoulder down. She started sliding Waverly's bra strap down with it, a kiss in place of the elastic.

Fumbling with Nicole's shirt, Waverly's thumbs picked at the bottom-most button. She couldn't seem to undo it, especially from such a low, sharp angle. She let out a light hiss of frustration. Instead, Waverly let her fingertips wander to Nicole's belt and attempt to work there.

A sharp, judgmental meow made Waverly open her eyes. Glancing over at the coffee table, a ginger cat sat pompously swishing its tail. Just past Calamity Jane, Waverly's eyes caught the time on the DVR.

 _8:10PM._

 _Shitballs!_

Clearing her throat, Waverly smiled sheepishly. "I should… probably get going. Aunt Gus is waiting and she usually goes to bed early."

Nicole's head tilted with a frown of apology. "Aw, no time for dinner? Well **shit**. I'm sorry, Waves," she replied, rolling off of Waverly's hips.

 _…_ _That's it? No argument? No convincing me to stay?_

It felt unfair to make the Champ comparison, but he **was** Waverly's most recent frame of reference: Champ would have begged and bartered and guilted for her to stay. She was so used to that sort of pushback that Waverly wasn't sure what to do about this.

Was she offended by how quickly Nicole had conceded? Or was it refreshing to make a decision and not have to spend the energy rationalizing it?

"Are you… okay with that?"

Nicole shot Waverly a wide-eyed, tender look. "Of course! I just feel bad that you didn't get to eat first. Since you're wasting away to nothing, apparently." Her gaze lingered downward, but her appraisal was nothing but complimentary. Brown eyes snapped back up to Waverly's with an accompanying smile. "I should have picked something up on the way home. Sorry."

 _I guess I_ _ **have**_ _been dating a lot of shit-heads._

"It's okay. I've still got stew waiting for me at home. Gus'll be thrilled. …What are **you** gonna do?" Waverly asked.

Just as she was about to reply, Nicole's phone rang.

The woman scowled, but when she checked her phone her eyes widened in shock.

Waverly nodded at Nicole's phone. "Who is it?"

Nicole tucked a loose strand of red hair behind her ear. "Nedley." She shot Waverly a worried look before answering.

The man's voice on the other end was far too low for Waverly to pick up. All she caught was Nicole's side of the conversation.

"This is Haught… …Just got home… …What's going on? …Yes, sir. …Yes, sir… Okay, sir… I'll be up there soon. Okay."

"That doesn't sound good," Waverly commented as she adjusted her shirt and bra back into place.

"It **is** , actually," Nicole said as she stood up. She started to tuck her shirt in. "They found a whole slew of girls in some crazy cult. Mostly runaways from around the Ghost River Triangle."

 _Wynonna!_

Nicole continued, "I guess the Feds took down the leader in a sting, so now they need help getting the girls back to their families. Be more comfortable with a female officer present to help process and take statements."

"Oh, uh… that's great! I mean, it sucks you have to go back to work, but that's great you get to be a part of it." She chewed her cheek and avoided eye contact.

 _God, I hate this. Am I_ _ **allowed**_ _to talk about this,_ _ **Dolls**_ _? I didn't get a frickin' rule book._

Nicole stopped getting ready and tilted her head at Waverly. "…this is what you were talking about earlier, isn't it? When you said you cracked those cases I gave y'all. This wasn't 'the Feds,' this was Wynonna and Dolls," she stated.

"Um…" Waverly trailed off. She shrugged with a cringing smile. "…Kind of. Probably. …Yea."

Nicole stared at her phone for a moment. "I don't know how Wynonna did it. I don't understand **how** she does what she does… and I **know** you know more than you're letting on, Wave." Nicole's eyes flicked up to Waverly's, her expression slightly wounded.

A pang of guilt stole the air from Waverly's lungs.

Then Nicole's gaze softened with a smile. " **But** … please keep doing what you're doing. I'm glad there are people out there like Wynonna… like you." She leaned over to rest her forehead against Waverly's. "Just maybe let us cops help every now and then, okay? I **promise** we're good at it."

"Okay… I mean, I'd have to ask Dolls… it's kind of his show," Waverly said with an apologetic wince.

A breathy laugh in response. "Right." Nicole leaned forward to kiss Waverly before heading for the kitchen. "Well, I see you found the wine. I think I still have some leftovers. Sure you'll be okay?"

Before Waverly could answer, she heard a distinct crinkling of a bag. Nicole called over, "Hey, what's this?"

Grinning, Waverly stood up and leaned against the kitchen door frame. She nodded towards the bag. "Just a small gift. You can open it."

Nicole's mouth tightened to an impressed line. "Wave… you didn't have to…"

Reaching a hand in, Nicole pulled out the largest item first: a bottle of moscato. Nicole turned to her, raising a suspicious eyebrow. "How did you know?"

"You'd be surprised what Mickey over at Lucky Liquor remembers. I did some asking and found out that 'that red-haired lady cop' buys a lot of this moscato. **And** I found out your other favorite ice cream to boot." Waverly tossed her head in the direction of the refrigerator.

"You didn't…"

"Oh, I did."

Nicole yanked open the freezer door to find one pint of chocolate chip cookie dough, one mint chocolate chip, and one Cherry Garcia stacked neatly in a row. The woman made a deep, appreciative exhaling sound. "This is **dangerous** to leave alone with me."

"Next time, then," Waverly said with a grin. She stuck her chin out at the bag again. "There's more, too."

Digging at the bottom of the bag, Nicole held up a pair of dangling charms: a unicorn and a cowboy hat.

Leaning over the kitchen table, Waverly rested her head on her hands. "I thought they were cute! For our wine glasses!"

Nicole nodded, her smiled slanted and pleased. She pulled an empty glass out of the cupboard and snapped the cowboy hat charm on hers and set it next to the moscato. "For next time, then."

The last item in the bag had been extremely difficult to find at a liquor store. Luckily, it shared space with a small general store that had a seasonal discount section. A small glass jar containing a dark gel and a wick: a candle.

Her mouth an intrigued line, Nicole brought the candle to her nose for a sniff. She nodded in approval. She turned to Waverly, lips parted in question. But her eyes suddenly widened before she spoke, "…Is this… what I think it is?"

Waverly bit her lower lip and smiled through her eyelashes. "It's… a promise."

"Waverly… you don't have to promise me anything. We just… see what happens."

"I know I don't **have** to. I still **want** to."

"…Okay."

"Okay."

Leaning over the other side of the kitchen table, Nicole captured Waverly's lips in a gentle kiss. "Call you tomorrow?"

"You better."

A light laugh. Nicole straightened and grabbed a Styrofoam container from the fridge. They left Nicole's house together. Waverly locked up and tucked the keys back into Nicole's pocket. Sharing a goodbye kiss, they parted ways in Nicole's driveway.

* * *

Waverly opened her front door with a sliding click. Following a suspicious rattling sound, Waverly made her way to the kitchen where Aunt Gus hovered over a steaming stewpot on the stove. She was picking through their upper cabinets. Her neck turned when Waverly knocked on the doorframe.

"Just giving you girls some better pots and pans. The good stuff, not this new plastic shit that doesn't last a year."

"Okay, Aunt Gus," Waverly said distractedly as she set down her purse and coat.

Standing upright, the woman's dark eyes looked her up and down. Gus asked, "Where were you?"

Waverly smiled to herself. "I was… unsticking my wings."

A nod of approval from Gus. She flicked her tongue over her teeth with a sucking sound before narrowing her eyes. "…is she worthy of you?"

Waverly tilted her head thoughtfully, a slanted grin pulling at her cheek. "I think so, yes."

A different nod, an impressed one. Gus gave Waverly a soft smile. "Hopefully **she** does, too. Otherwise…" That smile hardened to a stern glare.

Chuckling lightly, Waverly went over and kissed her aunt's cheek. She accepted the bowl of stew offered in exchange for the six-pack of beer under her arm. Gus made an intrigued hum sound in the back of her throat when she saw the label.

The two women traded stories about the Homestead for the next few hours. Wynonna's talent for breaking things, Waverly's short-lived hobbies, even some of Willa's scuffles with the neighbor boys.

Gus didn't ask any more questions about Nicole, but Waverly was still pleased. This was the second person she'd more or less told: _"I'm with Nicole."_

All that was really left to tell was… Wynonna.

 _Maybe after the stuff with Doc blows over?_

Hearing the crunch of tires on the gravel driveway, Waverly leapt up from her spot on the couch. She'd been mentally preparing for how to explain to Wynonna that Doc had skipped town. And again, didn't have a great answer. She had settled on softening the blow.

She was relieved to see to see her sister, though her odds on Wynonna's mood were way off. She had **hoped** Wynonna would be her usual snarky (but upbeat) self, maybe with a celebratory drink in hand.

Except the elder sister was anything but.

Wynonna jumped out of her beat-up blue truck with a clouded expression. Her posture was stooped from a long couple of days. The black smudges over her right eye were mostly gone and Peacemaker sat on her belt, at least.

 _God, she looks tired._

Shivering in the night chill, Waverly stuttered out, "Hey… so… listen, you gave Doc a car, and… well… the **thing** is that when you give someone a car—"

"Not now," Wynonna interrupted, holding up a hand.

 _Tired_ _ **and**_ _grumpy._

Her sister gestured to the other woman who stepped out of her truck, an imperious figure laden in a white dress and furs. Wynonna waved her forward. The woman had a familiar look that Waverly couldn't place.

Wynonna's tone was soft and uncertain. "This is one of the women we helped today. I said she could crash here for awhile."

Nodding, Waverly offered her most welcoming smile. She started mentally calculating how the Homestead could accommodate (since Gus was also staying over).

 _Spare blankets? Check._

 _Pillows? Probably gonna have to move some around._

 _She looks like Wynonna's size, so maybe they can share pajamas. Ooh! Or maybe some of the clothes Gus brought over might work!_

 _I could probably bunk with Gus and she could stay in Wynonna's room if Wynonna slept on the couch? It seems wrong to make someone living under a Revenant for years sleep on a couch…_

 _Do we have enough food? I think we have enough for breakfast and maybe lunch. If I go to the store early, we should—oh I should ask her if she has any dietary restrictions. She lived in the woods, right? I wonder what kind of stuff she—_

Wynonna approached with her hands in her pockets. She gestured with her shoulder. "Waverly, this is—"

The screen door flew open with a bang as Gus strode outside. "Would you girls **kindly** get your butts in here and—and—" The older woman ground to a halt, the beer bottle in her hand shattering on the front porch.

Her face ashen, Gus stared past Waverly at the new arrival. "Willa."


	5. not just best friends

_Wherein Nicole and Waverly spend an afternoon deep in discussion about what to do about the latest addition: Willa Earp, back from the dead. Phonecalls, texts and flirts galore. Plus, they kind of sleep together. It's a long day._

 _Takes place in early 1x11. Utilizes Road to Purgatory content for flavor. Domestic as all get-out._

* * *

Nicole Haught woke up smiling.

While she was exhausted from all that extra overtime last night (and into the morning), Nicole still felt a warm sense of accomplishment all the way down to her toes.

It had been one of those defining moments of becoming a cop. The chaos of so many people, staying calm in that chaos, while working together to get statements down and families found… it was a magical thing.

"A hidden forest cult of runaway women rescued from the hands of a charismatic lunatic."

It was one of those things you heard about on TV and couldn't believe existed. Except in Purgatory: anything seemed to be possible. Good and bad (oftentimes bad).

All Nicole's emergency management training had finally paid off, too. All those binders of situational procedure she'd brought with her to Purgatory from the Academy put to use. For once, Nicole had been the one teaching Lonnie, Nedley and Phillips how to properly engage with a sudden influx of victims at the station (and not just pack them into the drunk tank to deal with like a rowdy bar fight).

No, those women needed blankets, they needed coffee, they needed a sense of community and support. Favors were called in, mostly from the other cops' significant others.

Lonnie's wife, Marlene, helped keep their little coffee pot humming long into the early morning (or with hot chocolate to those who asked). Maggie Nedley and Chrissy threw their weight at the volunteer fire department to make sure they had plenty of blankets, plus cots for the women whose families couldn't arrive til the morning. They also made trips to the 24-hour truck stop for bags and bags of trashy burgers and sandwiches when everyone got hungry around 10PM.

Phillips' girlfriend Sasha was a little too dense to help **do** anything, but boy could the woman **talk**. And, if Nicole was being honest, she was probably the most useful of all. Sasha flitted around those girls like a hummingbird, catching them up on reality TV plots, some current events, the best clubs and bars in the city, and who the hottest movie actors were. Nicole had to keep redirecting Sasha away from Phillips so he would stay on task making those family calls/arrangements, but otherwise the woman was the perfect conversational butterfly to put those rescued women at ease.

Nicole had texted Waverly that she'd seen Wynonna there, hovering in the background like a grumpy guardian angel. The answering ["Thank you 3"] was all Nicole needed. A small part of Nicole wanted to ask Waverly to come down to help, but she knew Waverly was dead on her feet from the past few days.

Plus… they hadn't really talked about outing their relationship like that. It would be a pretty big dick move just to show off "her girlfriend Waverly" when they hadn't even used the word with **each other** , yet.

But… something to talk about nonetheless. There were a lot of empty checkboxes in their relationship status yet. Title, how serious or exclusive, who all could/would/should they tell… Still plenty of time to figure that out, though. And the right time probably wasn't "late at night in the middle of the sheriff's department."

The number of victims winnowed down to less than three. Even Wynonna had signed a custody release on one woman who went by the name "Eve."

"Just until someone steps forward to claim her," Wynonna had said with a stern look. "No one should have to spend the night in this shithole." Her expression switched to one of mock-sweetness with a few rapid, insincere blinks.

Nedley had cleared it with a gruff nod, though he promised the elder Earp that he was going to attend to Eve's missing persons report personally. "If I have to assign a caseworker, I will."

Wynonna drawled back with a smirk. "Oooo, threatening me with bureaucracy. …Relax, **Randy**. I'll keep her safe." Nicole had thought she heard the woman mutter under her breath, "…or she'll keep **me** safe."

Around midnight, Sheriff Nedley had taken Nicole aside. The bags under the man's eyes were more pronounced than usual, his mouth a hard line under his light moustache. At first, Nicole thought she had done something wrong when he closed his office door behind her.

Instead, he offered her a seat. And a drink from the decanter of whiskey on his side table.

"You did good today, Haught," Nedley said after clinking the lowball glass in his hand against hers on the desk. He drained his glass of the amber liquid in one deep swallow before Nicole had the chance to even raise hers to her lips.

Following suit, Nicole resisted the urge to cough against the burning bourbon. It puffed out her cheeks from the sheer amount of booze, but she swallowed it down with a weak smile.

"Th—thank you, sir," Nicole stuttered out with a small, throat clearing cough. She felt herself squinting against the burn rolling down her throat. She also stifled a yawn that started in her jaw and shivered its way down her shoulders and into her chest. Sitting down just made Nicole realize how dog-ass **tired** she was after such a long day.

Nedley poured himself another and studied the sloshing liquid in his glass a moment. "I know you've had a long night, and you're due some comp time. But I'd be remiss if I didn't offer…"

Tilting her head, Nicole asked, "Offer what?"

"We've got a big poker tournament going on tomorrow night. Lot of old money and friends of the Judge come in and throw chips around. Big well-to-do to raise some funds… usually for the Judge's re-election." Nedley rolled his eyes slightly.

"But it's good side pay," he continued after downing his glass of bourbon. "Lonnie worked it last year and Phillips worked the year before, though I'm offerin' it to you first this time. Usually around five hours of work, mostly involves standing around and making sure no one gets too rowdy. Standard gig. What do you say?"

"I'm game, sir," Nicole said, then cringed at the accidental pun.

The Sheriff's gaze was withering, but he nodded and drummed his fingers on his desk. "Good. I'll email you the details. Proper protocol, all the standard operating procedure, all that. Pretty easy stuff." He stood up and Nicole followed suit (taking the hint that this conversation was over). "Represent us well and you'll get asked back to do more side jobs. Homecoming at the school is another big one, some hockey events, weddings, stuff like that."

Nicole returned the lowball glass to Nedley's desk and adjusted her belt. "Looking forward to it, sir."

Leaning forward, Nedley offered his hand to shake. "Just a small thank-you for all your hard work. You've been in Purgatory long enough. Time for you to see some of what it has to offer. You're part of this community now, Haught."

"Yes, sir."

Despite the fact it meant piling more work on her shoulders, Nicole was oddly touched by the gesture… at being included in the town's outer-workings, at the very least. Integrating into the normal part of Purgatory would be nice for a change.

 _And maybe one day, I'll be included in the inner-workings,_ Nicole thought with a scowl as Dolls and Wynonna came to mind.

She made a mental note to ask Waverly about the poker tournament later.

Nedley glanced across the station to his wife, Maggie. "And try not to get cornered by any of the Judge's out-of-towner friends. Or the Mayor's wife, Vicky. You'll never escape. They can **talk**."

"I'll keep that in mind."

Standing up, Nedley gestured for the door. "Anyway, great work tonight. Get home, get some sleep, Haught."

"Yes, sir."

* * *

Stretching in her bed, Nicole stared at the ceiling. She stroked the ginger cat that was curled in her lap, while her other hand reached subconsciously for the cell phone on her nightstand. Her thumb hovered over her home screen wallpaper: a smiling Waverly with Nicole kissing her cheek. Their first date outside the movie theater. Just a little over a week ago and it still felt like yesterday.

With a wistful sigh, Nicole swiped over to the first starred contact in her list. It connected after a couple of rings. "Hey, good morning you," Nicole said warmly, her other hand rubbing at Calamity Jane's cheek.

["Hey, how'd it go last night?"] Waverly sounded tired still, which made Nicole reflexively frown in sympathy.

"Good. Almost all the women's families were local and drove in pretty much straightaway. A couple had to catch flights from out of state and should be there in the morning."

["That's awesome, Nicole."]

"Yea, it was a pretty early morning, though," Nicole yawned almost on command. "How are you doing? I saw Wynonna took one of the women home? Did she crash with y'all last night? How was that?"

["Uh… yea… yea, Wynonna made a… friend. A woman named Eve. She's…"] Waverly trailed off.

Sensing something was off, Nicole sat up in bed. Calamity Jane meowed in irritation and left Nicole's lap in a huff. "Waverly? What's wrong?"

["I don't even know how to say this, because I didn't think it was possible…"]

"What is it, baby?"

["It's Eve… there's a good chance that she's—she's really our big sister, Willa…"]

Nicole felt her eyes widen and her hand went to her mouth.

She remembered the news article she'd found when she was looking up Wynonna Earp (and, admittedly, Waverly). That Willa Earp was taken during at attack on the Homestead, the same night Wynonna accidentally shot their father. A six-month search kicked off, but no trace of the girl was ever found other than some bloody clothes and Willa was presumed dead. For 15 years.

"Oh my God, Waves…"

["Yea, she—she started to freak out when we brought her home. Luckily, Dolls was there and gave her some medication to help her sleep. He's doing a rush job on a DNA test right now, so we should know soon for certain. I just—I don't know…"]

Leaning over, Nicole cradled her phone to her ear. "How are **you** doing?" she asked softly.

There was a moment of silence on the other end, followed by a brief sniff. ["I don't—I don't know. I don't want to talk about it right now. Not with—just… not right now."]

Nicole took the hint. Maybe Wynonna or Gus or "Willa" was nearby and Waverly wasn't free to talk. Nicole decided to change the subject to (hopefully) happier news as she switched to speaker phone.

"Okay, we can talk about it later. But hey, can I ask you something?"

[" **Anything**."] Waverly said, her tone enthusiastic.

Opening her email, Nicole studied all the notes from Nedley again. "Are you familiar with the 'Purgatory Poker Spectacular?'"

["Oh! Yea! Big, glitzy affair that Judge Cryderman throws every year."]

"Have you ever gone?"

["Uh, **no**. That's where the rich d-bags from the city come into town and throw money around. Then they usually went to Shorty's after and drank us dry. Super rude. And handsy. Not a fan."]

Nicole scowled at the thought as she switched back to the normal phone setting. "…do you remember any names? Or what they looked like?"

A chirp of a laugh at the other end of the phone. ["Aw, are you gonna defend my honor? That's so sweet! …don't worry about it, Nicole. It's so not worth it. Frankly, I'd pay money to see what happens when those jerks stroll into Shorty's-now-Bobo's and try to act like dicks to his gang. Won't they be surprised."]

"Fair point," Nicole agreed.

["Why do you ask?"]

"Oh, I'm on duty for it tonight. Extra security. Nedley put me up to it. And it'll give me a chance to earn some extra cash… to take out pretty girls… That sort of thing," Nicole said airily.

["Great! Anyone I know?"]

"I think you do. She's pretty amazing." Sighing with relief, Nicole leaned back against her headboard. "Are you free at all today? I have some time to kill before the poker thing tonight."

 _I'm really racking up the overtime. Next paycheck should be incredible._

Nicole paused before rushing into a semi-apology. "Of course, I totally understand if you need to spend time with your sister— **sisters**. I just—I'm here if you need me, Wave."

["Oh God, I'd love to come over. It's been a weird vibe in the house since Eve—Willa?—showed up. Frankly, I could use the break. What time?"]

"I'm off til around five, so any time before then would be great."

["Okay, let's plan for lunch then! I'll text you when I'm on my way over. I'm pretty sure you still owe me a meal from yesterday."] Her voice a teasing warning, Waverly was starting to sound like her old self again.

With a light laugh, Nicole agreed, "You got it. I'll get that Chinese I promised and failed to deliver on. Text me what you like and I'll have it waiting. See you in a bit."

They trailed off with fond goodbyes before hanging up.

* * *

As Nicole was finishing getting ready to pick up lunch, her phone pinged with a text.

[Waverly says: "It's official. She's Willa"]

Chewing her cheek, Nicole tapped out a response.

[Nicole says: "How are you holding up?"]

[Waverly says: "It's a lot to process"]

[Nicole says: "I know"]

[Waverly says: "She's been gone almost my whole life, as far as I remember"]

[Nicole says: "I can't even imagine"]

There was a long pause. Nicole was uncertain what to say next. Then the trademark "…" held her attention as Waverly replied.

[Waverly says: "In other news, Wynonna asked me if we're 'best friends'"]

[Nicole says: "…whaaaa?"]

They exchanged a pair of unicorn emojis. Nicole chuckled under her breath.

 _"Best friends." I would think so._

 _…"Girlfriends?" …Oh God, I hope so._

[Waverly says: "I'm heading over"]

[Nicole says: "Okay, I'm heading out to pick up the food. See you at my place 3"]

[Waverly says: "Okay 3"]

* * *

When Nicole returned with a plastic bag bulging with Chinese food containers, she saw a familiar red Jeep already sitting in her driveway. Parking her cruiser next to that Jeep, Nicole hopped out and scanned the front porch. Waverly Earp stood at the far side, leaning against the banister and looking out at the small swath of land behind the house.

"Hey you," Nicole greeted Waverly warmly, which turned the woman's head.

Dropping the bag of food lightly on the porch near the door, Nicole strode straight up to Waverly and pulled her into a tight hug. The smaller woman's arms snaked through Nicole's open coat to wrap around her waist, and her head fit perfectly into the space below Nicole's chin against her collarbone and breasts.

They held there for several minutes, not saying anything.

It was Waverly who started to pull back, so Nicole loosened her grip around Waverly's shoulders. Nicole ran one hand along the back of Waverly's neck to her cheek and held it there.

Waverly wasn't crying, but there was a pensive line in her brow and her eyes were glazed. On the verge, but she was holding fast. Waverly stood still as Nicole leaned forward to place a kiss on her forehead, which caused a smile to curl her lips.

"Hey, best friend," Waverly said, her voice cracking slightly with the joke. She cleared her throat.

"Hey, best friend," Nicole echoed back as she stepped aside, leaving one arm around Waverly's shoulders. "It's cold. Let's get you inside."

A thought crossed Nicole's mind that she should get Waverly a spare key to her house. But… she wasn't sure if that was Too Soon. She smiled to herself that she was already thinking like that. Like… long-term.

 _…Whoa there. Still plenty of time._

Scooping up the bag of take-out, Nicole ushered Waverly in after unlocking the door. She helped the woman take off her leopard-print coat and beckoned her into the kitchen to sit at the table. Nicole pulled the chair out and waited for Waverly to sit down.

Waverly balked at the attention. "I'm **okay** , Nicole. I could help you set the table, or—?"

With an emphatic shake of her head, Nicole gestured to the chair again. Waverly obliged with a small smile. When she sat down, Nicole pushed the chair in and kissed the top of Waverly's head.

Then Nicole went to work.

Her motions were smooth and deliberate. Turning on the oven with a beep, Nicole set the temperature to low and stuffed the bag of Chinese food in before closing the heavy door with a thud. Then she swept over to the pantry for the open bottle of zinfandel. She filled a wide-brimmed wine glass—a jingling unicorn charm at the stem—with dark red liquid (as well as another glass nearby, this time with a cowboy hat charm).

Nicole set the glasses down on the kitchen table then made her way over to the refrigerator. She pulled two small pints out of the freezer, claimed two spoons from the cutlery drawer nearby and brought them to the table as well.

A chuckle caught in Nicole's throat when she saw Waverly downing her glass of wine, clearly the stress of the last few days getting to her. Without a word, Nicole fetched the bottle of zinfandel and brought it over to the table. She waited for Waverly to finish before emptying the rest of the bottle into her glass.

"Okay. **Now** we can talk if you want," Nicole said simply as she settled into the chair across from Waverly at the table. Nicole popped the top off the pint of chocolate chip cookie dough and motioned with her spoon for Waverly to do the same with her mint chocolate chip.

Her smile slanted, Waverly dug in with a large spoonful. She rolled the cream around her mouth for a moment, savoring the taste. It was a few more bites in before Waverly finally spoke.

"I don't know what to say, really. She was taken when I was just a kid… and she's been gone all this time, brainwashed and probably worse…" Waverly's face contorted with profound sadness. But also, something resembling… _guilt?_

 _What could Waverly have possibly done to be guilty about?_

Nicole reached out and stroked Waverly's wrist. "I can't even imagine what she's been through, Waves. It'll be a hard adjustment phase. For everyone."

"Yea… Wynonna is trying to ease her into what all's happened. Which… I don't know. I remember… Daddy was hardest on Willa. Which made Willa… she—she wasn't a very good sister." Waverly stopped herself, her eyes widening. She took a deep breath and started to ramble. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't say that… she was taken and—and God Knows what she's had to deal with all these years and just because she was… that's probably not who she even **is** and here I am—"

Nicole tried to interrupt. "Waverly."

"—here I am holding on to grudges from when I was **six** and how **childish** is that? She's our **sister** and **of course** I love her… even though she **was** kind of a bully… even though she and Wynonna were always closer and **Wynonna** is nothing like how she was when we were kids and—and now Willa can be the Earp she was **meant** to be and—and—I—"

Gripping the woman's wrist more firmly, Nicole tried again. "Waverly…"

Waverly finally looked back up at Nicole from where she had been talking to her pint of mint chocolate chip.

"It's **okay**. I understand."

"You do?" Waverly chewed her bottom lip.

Nicole rolled her thumb over the back of Waverly's hand. "I think so. I get the feeling you bottled up all the resentment you had as a kid after Willa was taken and never felt like you were **allowed** to be mad. And now that she's back, the bottle's open. Does that sound about right?"

Waverly gave a weak nod. Her voice was just above a whisper. "Does that… make me a bad person, Nicole?"

It broke Nicole's heart. "Waverly… you are the kindest, sweetest person I've ever met. Hands down." She smiled softly as her fingers stroked along Waverly's hand before she threaded their fingers together. "Family is… complicated. It feels like it shouldn't be, because it's Family and you're supposed to just love each other, but… it doesn't always work that way. I **know.** "

Nicole's advice was supposed to be directed at Waverly, but it was more to convince herself.

Waverly seemed to notice, her head tilting curiously. "How do you know?"

"I don't… speak to my family—to my parents. They're just… not a part of my life and I'm—I'm better for it. We had a falling out before I went away to college and I've been on my own since. And it just—it just **is** ," Nicole trailed off with a shrug. She didn't want to elaborate, partly because Nicole didn't want to make this about her and partly because she didn't want to dredge up the pain.

Squeezing her hand back, Waverly offered a slanted smile. "I'm sorry… I didn't want to dump this on you. I mean, I could be making a big deal about nothing. It's just… rough, you know? On the bright side, I think Gus might try to stay a little longer." Waverly chewed her cheek. "Though I think she feels guilty, too. Since she was the one who became our guardian after Daddy died and had to be the one to call off the search."

"Y'all didn't do anything wrong, Waverly," Nicole consoled. "How could any of you have known?"

Waverly sighed with a nod before taking another deep sip of wine. They ate their ice cream in companionable silence for a few minutes, accompanied only by the sound of clinking wine glasses and the scraping of spoons.

"Thanks—thanks for listening, Nicole," Waverly said finally, her smile soft and sweet.

"Of course," Nicole replied as she drained the last of her wine. She offered a teasing smile. "What are best friends for?"

"Just the best," Waverly agreed as she beckoned Nicole forward with a finger. They leaned across the table to share a soft kiss.

Nicole stood to replace the lids on the pints and tuck them back in the freezer. "You hungry?" Waverly's wicked smile actually made Nicole laugh. "…I **meant** for food?"

"Actually, yes. Being an emotional wreck leaves you with an appetite."

Fetching their food from the oven, Nicole doled out warm cartons across the table along with chopsticks and plastic spoons. Vegetarian potstickers, lo mein, and hot and sour soup for Waverly, while Nicole had General Tsao's chicken and wonton soup.

Waverly asked Nicole if she had any peanut butter. Her cheeks reddened slightly in embarrassment.

When Nicole headed into the pantry, she stopped, turned and demanded, "What's the best kind of peanut butter?"

An eyebrow quirked. "You're testing me?"

Nicole nodded back.

"Uh, smooth. Obviously," Waverly said with a dismissive hand-wave.

"Correct. I also would have accepted: 'Nutella is the best.'"

Retrieving the plastic jar, Nicole handed it over to Waverly with a raised eyebrow of her own. With a guilty smile, Waverly grabbed a spoonful and dumped it into her hot and sour soup.

"Not… what I was expecting…" Nicole said as she watched the hot liquid dissolve the dollop of peanut butter.

"It's **super** good. …Don't tell Wynonna I still do that, though. She'll never stop making fun of me." Waverly scowled, her nose wrinkling.

Nicole raised three fingers in a Girl Scout sign as she stabbed another forkful of chicken. "Won't say a word. Is that, like, a Purgatory thing? Or just a Waverly Earp thing?" She smiled endearingly before taking a bite.

"Just me!" Waverly chirped with a smile as she swirled her spoon in her soup almost like a whisk. "Though I agree: Nutella is the best."

With a light laugh, Nicole went back to her pantry and pulled out what amounted to a small drum of Nutella. Her smile was skewed with embarrassment. "I might have a small problem. …I won't tell if you won't."

Waverly repeated back Nicole's Girl Scout sign with a laugh. "Deal!" Her fingertips found their way to Nicole's wrist and errantly stroked along the back of her hand. A familiar wide, crinkling smile remained on Waverly's face for the rest of lunch.

Nicole was not able to convince Waverly to take it easy this time; she insisted on helping clean up, going so far as to shoo Nicole out of her own kitchen.

"You've done enough! And I waitressed a rowdy bar for three years, Nicole. I think I can handle cleaning up some Chinese food," Waverly announced as she draped a dish towel on the opposite shoulder as her side braid. Wiping her hands on her colorful, floral-print skirt, Waverly shot a pair of finger-guns. "Plus, it'll help take my mind off things for a little longer… and give me a chance to go through all your drawers." Her smile was toothy with mock-sweetness.

All Nicole could do was laugh and hold up her hands in surrender. "Well, let me know if you find anything good while you're looking for skeletons. Or this purple mouse-slash-catnip toy of Calamity Jane's that she probably stuck somewhere weird." She made a measuring motion with her thumb and forefinger. "About yay big."

Another pair of finger-guns. "You got it, Haught!"

"Thanks, Earp."

Settling onto the couch, Nicole left a spot open for Waverly. A multitude of blankets were already at the ready, as was the DVR remote. She checked her watch. Still a few hours yet before she needed to head off to the poker tournament. They had time.

Nicole couldn't help craning her neck to watch the woman work behind her. Waverly was humming a nonsensical tune under her breath as she swept the cartons into the trash bin and wiped down the table. She poked around the lower cabinets and a few of the higher ones, but gave up after a few stretches on her tip-toes yielded no results on the out-of-reach shelves.

She did dig around under the sink for a few minutes longer than necessary, but just as Nicole was about to ask, Waverly stood up. Her arm shot up over her head in triumph.

"Ha! Challenge accepted!" Waving in Waverly's hand, like a Golden Snitch from Harry Potter, was a lumpy purple mouse toy.

 _Oh **God** …_ It was… so nice. She was a vision. Graceful and sweet and just **so** —

Before Nicole could finish that thought, Waverly chucked the mouse at Nicole where it bounced off her forehead. The woman's laugh was pure music as Waverly covered her mouth with her hand. "Oh **shit**! Sorry! I was just trying to throw it **to** you, not **at** you."

Still too awestruck to be offended, Nicole smirked before grabbing the toy where it landed on the couch back. She tossed it over to the side closet where the door was open a crack. A ginger paw stretched out, felt around, then snagged the toy and pulled it inside.

"You're **welcome** , you little gremlin," Nicole muttered under her breath. She was too amused to be annoyed by Calamity Jane's antisocial behavior.

A moment later, Waverly swept in re-serving their wine glasses (freshened with moscato this time). Her small smile was apologetic. "A peace offering. I didn't mean to bean you in the face."

"I can check and see if there are any more openings on the PSD softball team. Put that deadly aim to use," Nicole teased as she accepted the glass. They clinked them together before Nicole pulled back a blanket to welcome Waverly next to her.

They snuggled together for a few minutes, Nicole's arm draped lazily around Waverly's shoulders.

A text message ping broke the quiet. Waverly sighed and slipped her hand under the blanket to pull out her phone. Hazel eyes skimming the bright screen for a moment, Waverly chewed her cheek as she put the phone away.

"Something wrong?" Nicole asked, tilting her head.

"I don't think so? Wynonna took …Willa…" Waverly still stumbled over the unfamiliar word, her brow creasing. "…out on the Homestead… to tell her what happened to her. Who she is. I guess she started to remember some things."

"That's good, right?"

"I guess? She remembered Daddy, which…" Glancing over, Waverly hesitated and took a deep sip of her wine. She offered a fake smile as she held up her glass. "This is, uh, pretty good. No zinfandel, but I really like the—"

"Waverly," Nicole interrupted with a soft smile. She rocked her arm against Waverly's shoulders in reassurance. "…You don't **have** to tell me. But, I would like to know if and when you do. And yea, the moscato's pretty good, if sweeter."

"I'm sorry, I just… Daddy was… tough. Especially after Momma left. He drank a lot. He was really hard on Willa. And Wynonna, too."

Nicole felt herself tense in anger at this man she'd never met. Her imagination was filling in what Waverly wasn't saying. "What about you?"

A bitter laugh. "Daddy barely knew I existed. He was so focused on Willa. **Wynonna** was the one who took care of me, got me ready for school or helped me brush my teeth or packed my lunch. She was the one who kept the family together in spite of everything." Waverly had gone back to chewing her cheek. She glanced at Nicole out of the corner of her eye.

Police training started to creep into Nicole's mind, particularly: risk assessment for domestic abuse victims. But Nicole managed to stop herself before her anger spiked further… **especially** considering she knew that Ward Earp had been the Purgatory Sheriff back in the day.

 _That **son** of a **bitch!** …This was 15 years ago, this explains a **lot** and… this is **not** what Waverly needs right now._

"I'm so sorry, Waverly," Nicole said instead, leaning over to rest her forehead against Waverly's temple. She saw Waverly's eyes close at the touch and stay closed while a sad smile tugged at her cheek.

Only the sound of soft breathing carried through the room as Nicole held against Waverly. Rubbing small circles on Waverly's shoulder with her thumb, Nicole felt a hand give a similar, soothing stroke along her thigh.

Nicole traced her lips over Waverly's cheek before taking a sip of her wine. "Anything you want to do? A movie or something? Take your mind off things?"

A slanted smile as Waverly followed suit with a sip of her own moscato. Her tongue flicked out to lick traces of wine off her lips. She blinked blearily. "God, I'm so tired from the last few days, I'd probably just fall asleep." That slanted smiled crinkled with apology.

"A nap, then?" Nicole suggested as she checked her watch. "I could probably use one before the poker tournament." She gave a playful wink. "Wouldn't do for Purgatory's Finest to pass out while rubbing shoulders with Purgatory's Elite."

Eyes widening, Waverly took an unusually large swallow of wine. She gave a small, nervous cough after draining the rest of her glass. "You mean… together? …Are you—are you sure? I mean, I don't—I'm not really…" Waverly trailed off with a fretful drumming of fingernails on the glass.

Nicole chuckled and pulled away slightly. "Not like **that**. …plenty of time, remember?" She tilted her head and gave a small yawn. "If you'd rather I stay here and you take my room, or vice versa, I'm fine either way. Or if you're okay with my room, I have some—"

"Okay," Waverly interrupted.

"Okay what?"

"Er… **I'm** … okay with… your room. …Together."

"Are you sure? Cuz I can take the couch. I don't mind, Waver—"

Waverly jumped in again, her smile shy. "No, it's—it's fine. I'd… like that." The shyness pushed outward into small confidence. "As long as I can bring some extra blankets." Her gaze hardened, stern negotiation written on her face.

"How can I say no to that?" With an airy laugh, Nicole nodded as she finished her wine. The cowboy charm made a tinkling sound as it jangled against the stem. She set it, and Waverly's glass, on the coffee table and started to push herself upright.

A hand held at Nicole's thigh. "Wait!"

Sliding back onto the sofa, Nicole's eyes focused on the small plastic-wrapped cookie that was thrust in front of her face. Waverly demanded, "You have to read your fortune." In the woman's other hand was a second fortune cookie.

They both unwrapped the crinkling plastic and, at Waverly's pensive nod, snapped their small brown cookies in half together. Nicole popped one half of the crispy treat in her mouth as she unfolded the thin white paper inside.

 _"Advancement will come with hard work." Don't I know it._

"What's yours say?" Waverly asked, leaning over to try and read over Nicole's shoulder.

Smiling to herself, Nicole hid the paper in her fist. "It says 'You will totally platonically sleep with a pretty girl today.' Weird, huh?" She grinned wider and crunched loudly on the rest of the cookie.

" **Really** weird," Waverly agreed with a smirk. "What's weirder is mine said the same thing." Her cheeks reddened slightly, but then her cheeks bulged as she crammed both cookie halves into her mouth with a muffled laugh.

Nicole leaned over and kissed Waverly. She tasted so, so sweet as the wine and the wafer mixed together on her lips. Nicole's hand at the woman's shoulder ran back along Waverly's neck and held her cheek. A hand returned to Nicole's thigh and gripped against her jeans as they held fast for a few moments.

Reluctantly pulling away, Nicole gave Waverly one last peck before standing up. She helped Waverly carry a couple of blankets up the stairs and down the hall to her room.

There was a brief moment of panic as Nicole struggled to remember if her room was clean. Cracking the door open, she was relieved to find she hadn't left any dirty clothes or underwear strewn about. And the bed was crisply made, as it always was. Old habits die hard.

Nicole offered some spare clothes for Waverly to sleep in, which the woman shyly declined. It only took a moment for Nicole to slip into her bathroom and pull on a pair of sweatpants and a camisole. By the time she'd returned, Waverly had already reassembled her blanket nest on the right half of the bed.

Part of Nicole wanted to tease, but there was something fragile and sweet about this moment that she suddenly felt awkward about ruining. Maybe because it felt… big. Significant. Another small but important step forward.

Instead, Nicole settled under the covers on the left half of the bed. She pulled her cell phone from her pocket and set a timer for a couple of hours from now. Enough time for her to shower and get ready for the Poker Spectacular.

Waverly fiddled with her side braid before laying down facing Nicole. Her hazel eyes seemed to be taking in the room from that perspective. Nicole prayed she liked what she saw. After a moment, those eyes settled on a Nicole peering back at her.

"Is this weird?" Waverly's brow and nose crinkled with worry.

"A little," Nicole agreed as she shifted on the pillow against her cheek. "You okay? Or do I need to get a few dozen more blankets?"

The worry changed to narrow-eyed insult. " **No** ," Waverly scowled back, her eyes twinkling. "And I'm in a **skirt** , thank you. It's **chilly**."

"I noticed," Nicole said, more seriously than she'd intended. It did make Waverly smile, but also made the air heavier again. More awkward.

 _God. Damn. It._

Clearing her throat, Nicole rolled over to her back. "I've got an alarm set. Sleep tight, Waves."

"You too, Nicole."

Nicole closed her eyes when she felt a soft hand trace along her temple and cheek. She smiled in response at the tender gesture, mostly because there was something… possessive about it. Promising.

 _Oh God, how am I supposed to go to sleep now?_

It had been a long time since Nicole had slept in the same bed as another person. She felt hyper-aware of every stir and shift Waverly made. Her eyes shut so tight didn't help at all, because the after-image burned into Nicole's mind was Waverly in the kitchen, laughing as she wiped her hands on her skirt, the side braid bouncing on her shoulder.

She listened for Waverly's breathing to slow before Nicole hazarded opening an eye. Under a trio of blankets, Waverly lay still on her side, a braid of hair tangled at her neck. Her lips were softly parted as she took in steady breaths, her brow smooth of worry for the first time in awhile.

Smiling, Nicole settled back in and closed her eyes. She mentally ran through the security procedures Nedley had emailed over. Eventually, she felt light pressure across her shins as Calamity Jane climbed across the bed. She heard the cat sniff disdainfully at Waverly before deciding to settle into a familiar spot on Nicole's stomach.

* * *

A chiming alarm woke Nicole, a slight snoring breath rumbling in her throat. She glanced over to Waverly, who blinked languidly as she gave a quiet yawn.

When Waverly caught sight of Nicole over her pillow, her lips curled in a warm smile. "Hey, you."

"Hey back," Nicole replied with an answering smile before yawning, too. Some of Waverly's hair had come loose from her braid, her bangs in loose wisps at her temple. Nicole reached over and tucked the errant hairs behind the woman's ear. "…you sleep okay?"

With a lazy stretch, Waverly inhaled deeply through her nose. "Actually, yea. And I made a friend." She made a small pointing motion down to the foot of the bed.

Pushing herself up with her elbows, Nicole craned her neck over the covers. Sure enough, in the valley of space between Waverly's ankles, was a ball of ginger fur. Calamity Jane was fast asleep.

"You little traitor," Nicole muttered insincerely.

"You leave my foot-warmer alone," Waverly warned with a mock-frown, her eyebrow quirking in challenge.

The alarm on Nicole's phone pinged again, the snooze reset. She turned it off and made a motion to get up when she felt a hand on her arm.

Waverly didn't say anything, just chewed her lower lip and stared back. Her eyes alternated between crinkling and smoothing, evidence of something going on in that head of hers.

Leaning over, Nicole gave a deep, lingering kiss. She whispered, "I have to shower and get ready. …You can stay if you want."

 _Please stay. Forever._

Waverly squinted one eye upward as she considered it. "We could probably use some coffee, huh?" Nicole felt her eyes widen and she involuntarily nodded, which made Waverly chuckle, "Okay, I'll go pick us up some. Since you **did** get lunch, after all." She reached out and tugged at the front of Nicole's top, pulling her down in another kiss with a sighing gasp.

All that shifting woke up Calamity Jane, who shot them both a baleful glare before hopping off the bed in a huff. Waverly blew a sarcastic kiss in CJ's direction, her shoulders shaking in silent laughter.

Nicole was reluctant to leave the warmth of her bed (and Waverly), but she didn't want to run late to her first security job. As she made her way to the bathroom to turn on the hot water in the shower, she heard the shifting of blankets behind her as Waverly got up, too.

In the reflection of the bathroom mirror, Nicole could have sworn she saw Waverly pause at the bedroom door and look at her back, a gleeful, lip-biting smile on her face. But then Waverly turned and left, her footsteps disappearing down the stairwell.

* * *

A half hour later, Nicole met Waverly in the kitchen as she pulled a hairbrush through red strands and adjusted the heavy belt at her waist. There was a nervous flutter in Nicole's chest, that familiar excitement for a new situation. She had studied Nedley's emails a dozen times already.

 _"You're part of this community now, Haught."_

Waverly presented a tall travel cup of coffee to Nicole, who accepted with a grateful thank-you. The woman had taken the time to re-braid her loose hair and smooth out the wrinkles in her top and skirt. Waverly leaned awkwardly against the kitchen counter, an anxious smile on her face.

"Whatcha thinking about?" Nicole asked after taking a long sip.

"Oh, I just—I don't want to go home. And I feel terrible about feeling that way," Waverly said with a sigh. She fiddled with a bracelet on her wrist.

"Waverly," Nicole started with a soft smile. She put a hand on Waverly's waist in reassurance. "Try talking to Willa. Get to know her, maybe? Or at least let her know you?"

 _I know she'd love you. Anyone who's met you loves you. Why wouldn't they?_

Another sigh as Waverly chewed her lip. She nodded and leaned against Nicole's chest, pressing their foreheads together. After a moment, Nicole kissed Waverly's nose before reaching up to start braiding her own hair.

A different sort of lip chewing as Waverly asked, "May I?" Her gaze skimmed Nicole's half-wet strands, a small smile pulling her cheek. "…Not my first rodeo."

"Absolutely."

Nicole almost— **almost** —laughed when Waverly shot her a withering glare before motioning to a chair. She was tempted to make a joke about Waverly's height, but sitting down and feeling fingertips on her neck froze Nicole in place.

It reminded her of the shooting range, so many weeks ago. She'd been the one to braid Waverly's hair when the woman's healing hand wouldn't cooperate. At the time, it'd been the closest Nicole had ever been to the young Earp. And a "friendly" gesture it most certainly was not.

She'd accidentally touched Waverly's cheek and ear as she threaded fingers through those thick waves. It was a simple, practiced motion of over-and-under for each section. Easy. Except Nicole remembered the heat of her blush, how lost she'd been just touching Waverly's hair.

 _God, I was such a sap._

 _…"was." Still am._

The warm breath on her ear and the back of her neck was not lost on Nicole. Nor was what seemed like a lot of unnecessary fingernail-scratching on her scalp. She just smiled and stay still, spying a lurking cat around the kitchen corner while she waited. The coffee went rather quickly.

After a few minutes, there was a flourishing of jazz-hands in Nicole's peripheral vision accompanying a triumphant "Ta-da!" A second later, Nicole felt a kiss pressed to her cheek.

Turning in her seat, Nicole saw Waverly raise her coffee cup in salute as she winked. "Go get 'em, best friend."

"You too, best friend." She drew Waverly in with a soft kiss.

Nicole led Waverly out of the house by the hand, refusing to let go as she locked her front door with one hand. The afternoon sun was already half-set on the horizon, a blob of orange diffusing against a heavy gray sky.

They said goodbye with a tight hug this time, foreheads pressed together.

"Let me know how it goes with Willa."

"I will."

* * *

The Poker Spectacular was anything but. There was an awkward pall to the evening, mostly from Judge Cryderman himself. While a lot of the guests seemed content to gamble boisterously and drink, the Judge kept to himself at one of the craps tables.

Otherwise, it was rather uneventful evening. Nicole introduced herself to people and smiled politely while keeping a close eye out. She had to resist the urge to check her watch.

Late in the evening, Nicole took a short break to text Waverly.

[Nicole says: "Did you talk to her?"]

[Waverly says: "Ugh, yes. It went terribly. Said all the wrong things"]

[Waverly says: "She tried to touch me and I accidentally flinched. She freaked out and ran"]

[Nicole says: "I'm so sorry, Waverly"]

A hollow frustration gripped Nicole's chest. She wanted to call, to be there, to help. But… she had a job to do. She'd made a promise to the Sheriff. This was supposed to be the start of Officer Nicole Haught, Pillar of the Community. Maybe… maybe she could be Sheriff someday herself.

How weak was she, that she was willing to drop everything— **everything** —and go running off only because Waverly **might** need it?

The rest of the evening passed with guilt gnawing at Nicole's chest. She knew her expression had turned hard and manic by the way poker patrons started to avoid her. Nicole made a point not to be rude, but she knew wasn't being approachable by any means.

Around 1AM after the event ended and the hotel cleared out, Nicole called Waverly's cell a few times. Voicemail every time. It took every fiber of Nicole's being to keep her cruiser steady towards her house.

 _"Best friends" don't show up at the other's house in the middle of the night_ , she had to remind herself through gritted teeth.

When Nicole got home, she attempted another text and call, but they went unanswered.

She crawled into bed next to that empty pile of blankets, that hollow feeling remaining. She slept restlessly, tossing and turning every few hours (and once connecting a foot with a very unhappy Calamity Jane).

The next morning, Nicole's phone finally pinged.

[Waverly says: "Oh God, I lost Willa"]

* * *

 **Ren's Note:**

 _I was actually eating Chinese food while I wrote this chapter and Nicole's fortune is literally the one I got in my fortune cookie today. No lie._


	6. not just a sister

_Wherein Waverly (with help from Wynonna) chases down a missing Willa. On top of being super frickin' exhausted and processing a lot of complicated frickin' emotions, Waverly gets shot when the Homestead is attacked. And has to tell an already-worried Nicole about it._

 _Takes place in 1x11. Utilizes Road to Purgatory content for flavor._

 _Trigger warning for abuse mentions of Waverly's history with Willa/Ward. Also describes Waverly dealing with getting shot._

* * *

"Oh balls oh balls oh balls oh balls oh balls oh balls oh—"

Waverly had been muttering the same phrase under her breath for the past three hours. First while freezing cold **running** around the Homestead, then freezing cold **driving** around the Homestead.

It was an ungodly hour of the night and Waverly's nerves were shot. She was perpetually hovering on the verge of tears/panic, but couldn't bear the thought of returning to the Homestead even to check her phone. She didn't want to have to face telling anyone the truth.

She had lost Willa.

* * *

Their big sister, back from the dead. A brainwashed cult victim struggling to remember who she was… and Waverly had driven her away.

It had been an accident. An awkward conversation gone awry.

Her intentions had been good. Waverly gritted her teeth and tried to do what Nicole had suggested.

 _"Try talking to Willa. Get to know her, maybe? Or at least let her know you?"_

So Waverly had brought out her memory box… well, one of them. She had one for Momma, one for Daddy and one for Willa (Momma's was the smallest). Pictures, newspaper clippings, ribbons and some toys of Willa's. It had also once held Willa's necklace: a green crescent moon on a gold chain. …But that was in the hands of Bobo Del Rey now.

They had sat together on Willa's bed and gone through some of them, mostly the pictures. Willa had been oddly fascinated with the copy of her death certificate and asked about her own funeral. Waverly offered up the program as well, a small folded paper with a faded picture of a 13-year-old girl on the front.

Those funerals were one of Waverly's few vivid, early memories. She had hoped the story would make Willa happy _(? In a way?)_ , though it hadn't turned out that way.

"I saw the little white coffin but I knew you weren't actually in there," Waverly had said, the memory almost foreign in her mind. It had been surreal for a six-year-old, like someone was playing a game she didn't understand. "They'd filled it with sandbags."

"Was it a nice service?" Willa seemed genuinely curious, her face soft.

"All I remember was…" Waverly paused to reflect. Aunt Gus came to mind, as did Uncle Curtis, their faces contorted in despair as they held each other. "…a lot of crying."

Something else came to mind, which made a sad smile pull Waverly's cheek. "And the food. The grown-ups let me eat as maaany marshmallows as I wanted." _Ugh_. "…I threw up all night long."

A sad sigh was heavy in Waverly's chest. She'd tried to dull the pain that day with marshmallows and it had gone terribly.

Willa's voice pulled Waverly out of her thoughts, soft and scathing and cold. "Gee. That must have been **so** hard for you."

The rebuke awoke a fluttering in Waverly's chest, dormant for so many years. An anxiety that had been sitting just under the surface since last night. She felt an immediate need to please, to undo it, to make Willa just **understand** that was not what she'd meant. Waverly's shoulders tensed and a breath caught in her throat.

"…I'm sorry, it's just… it's really intense. You guys killed me," Willa intoned almost emotionlessly, like she didn't really mean it. She tilted her head at Waverly. "What did you bury in Daddy's coffin?"

Waverly had inhaled deeply before answering. "…Daddy." A pair of tears sitting just on top of her eyes threatened to spill over.

There was a pause as Willa closed her eyes, her expression briefly tortured. She started to sway forward on the bed, a breath catching in her throat.

As Waverly asked if Willa remembered something, Willa had reached out to steady herself on Waverly's shoulder. Except that fluttering anxiety made Waverly pull away, those tears trickling down her cheek. She flinched at Willa's touch… and Willa had **definitely** noticed.

"Are you scared of me?" The woman's face contorted amid a mixture of emotions. First confusion, then a cold sneer, then begrudging acceptance. With that, Willa pushed off the bed and took off down the hall.

Still sitting, Waverly was too stunned to move. She mentally kicked herself for her lack of reaction… mostly because the answer was _"Yes."_

 _"Yes, Willa. I'm scared of you. I've always been scared of you."_

How could she say that? That was worse than saying nothing.

The slam of the front door roused Waverly from her brief brooding.

 _She couldn't have—did Willa just—?_

"Oh balls!"

She couldn't take it back, so all she could do was make it right. Waverly finally gave chase, but the front porch light was too dim. She couldn't tell what direction the woman had gone. A pair of snowy tracks led straight out from the Homestead, but beyond that?

 _Oh balls._

* * *

For the next couple of hours, Waverly had hit every single hiding spot on the Homestead and surrounding land five times, calling Willa's name the whole time. The barn, the pond, the pet cemetery, the wood shed, the grove, the border fence, the fallow field on the other side… not a sign of Willa.

Not that Waverly was much of a tracker in the first place.

 _God, I wish Doc were still here._

 _He's probably halfway to Alaska by now. …the big dummy._

It was close to four in the morning by the time Waverly finally went home. The nap at Nicole's earlier was the only reason Waverly wasn't dead on her feet. She was both angry and relieved to find Wynonna still wasn't back yet, though it didn't change the ugly, gnawing feeling in her stomach.

She was dismayed to find her phone was dead, but Waverly was too tired and upset to deal with it. After throwing it on the charger, she collapsed face-first onto her bed and fell asleep immediately.

Waverly awoke a few hours later to Wynonna pulling on her ankle and hissing in her ear. "Hey! Hey Waverly! What the shit? Where's Willa?"

 _Oh **shitballs**._

Groaning into her pillow, Waverly told Wynonna the whole story. Her sister took it surprisingly well. All Wynonna did was tilt her head back, swear at the ceiling, sigh loudly, then yank Waverly's ankle again.

"I'll make coffee. You get your ass in the shower. Then we go find her. …Also, you're buying donuts."

* * *

Oh God, Waverly was so tired. She toweled off her hair with her eyes closed, her eyelids impossibly heavy and grainy after such a long, stressful night.

The past week— _two weeks—month?—_ had felt like an eternity. There was just this exhausted twinge in her shoulders and back, and every yawn reverberated through Waverly's jaw and into her chest. A dry, stinging pain had taken up residence in her eyes and a dull headache sat at her temples.

The only saving grace to the nonstop Revenant shit-show _(and now Willa shit-show)_ had been her brief reprieves spent with Nicole.

 _…Oh **shit**! **Nicole!**_

Reaching for the phone on the nightstand (glowing with 100% battery life again), Waverly counted six missed calls and four missed texts.

[Waverly says: "She tried to touch me and I accidentally flinched. She freaked out and ran"]

[Nicole says: "I'm so sorry, Waverly"] (Read: 11:17 PM)

[Nicole says: "Are you doing okay? Did you make up with Willa?"] (12:09 AM)

[Nicole says: "I'm still at the Poker Spectacular, but I could come by after?"] (1:42 AM)

[Nicole says: "Did you find her? Call me when you get a chance"] (2:26 AM)

[Nicole says: "Hey Wave, just seeing how you're doing? I'll catch you in the morning?"] (3:14 AM)

A couple of voicemails echoed these thoughts, mostly Nicole's uncertainty if Waverly wanted her to come by to help or not. And that she was keeping her phone close by in case Waverly needed her.

 _She's just the best,_ Waverly sighed before tapping out a response. She desperately wanted to call, but **not** with Wynonna listening in.

[Waverly says: "Oh God, I lost Willa"]

[Waverly says: "And I'm so sorry! my phone died and i was out all night looking and"]

[Waverly says: "Wynonna's back and we're gonna go look now"]

[Waverly says: "I'm so so sorry if i worried you!"]

[Waverly says: "I hope you had a good night at the poker thing!"]

[Waverly says: "I can't talk right now but I'll call you later! Promise! And you can tell me about the Poker Sspectacular"]

She sent a kiss emoji for good measure in the hopes it would seem reassuring.

A "…" appeared almost immediately. Her phone vibrated with Nicole's responses.

[Nicole says: "Okay. I'm off today so let me know if there's anything I can do to help"]

[Nicole says: "I'm here for you, Waves. Whatever you need"]

A pair of hearts followed that final text, which Waverly repeated back.

 _Just the best._

* * *

Wynonna and Waverly parked at one end of the short Purgatory downtown and made a plan to divide and conquer. Wynonna took one side of the street, Waverly the other. They'd meet at the next block. Keep phones close. Go Team Earp.

A quick circuit of the grocery store was Waverly's first target, though it was made unnecessarily long because of all the Purgatorians wanting to stop and chat. Mostly to ask how she was doing and how much they missed her face behind the counter at Shorty's.

"Oh, uh, yea. New management and all. And I was thinking about—um—applying to grad school," Waverly had deflected as her eyes skimmed the aisles.

A chorus of "Good for you, Waverly"s mixed with "Oh, you're not leaving, are you"s were muttered along with well-wishes.

One older woman even expressed her condolences that Gus was leaving in the form of an odd platitude: "God doesn't give us more than we can handle, but sometimes He is telling us to find a new place to handle it." Waverly wasn't sure if she was supposed to agree or be grateful for that sentiment, and instead opted to give Mrs. Brimley what she hoped was a thoughtful smile.

It all might have been touching if Waverly didn't have a missing sister to find. She escaped the grocery store and exchanged a head shake with Wynonna who had just exited the liquor store across the street (a distinct brown bag tucked into a jacket pocket).

 _God Damn it, Wynonna. At a time like this?_

 _…what better time to start drinking, actually? Maybe **I** should pick something up. _

_I'd probably fall asleep._

The older Earp nodded her head at the diner while Waverly gestured towards the pawn shop next door.

 _Oh God… the pawn shop._

The shop was just as cramped as it always was. Flickering fluorescent lighting, an odd leather and mildew smell, all crowded together in cramped aisles with poorly organized shelves.

If you knew where to look, there was still some evidence the pawn shop had been the site of a hostage stand-off only a few months ago. A hole in the wall a trio of Revenants had torn through was haphazardly patched with cinder blocks and a shelf stacked with trucker hats.

A dark stain on the floor still lingered near a center aisle… Shorty's blood.

Sighing, Waverly quickly glanced down the remaining five short rows. Only a pair of patrons were in the pawn shop, neither of them a young (probably angry) woman. Those two older men were haggling over a pair of antique shotguns with the grizzled owner and paid her no mind.

Waverly didn't want to linger here any longer than she had to. That anxious feeling in her chest was starting to fray around the edges from stress/exhaustion. She just felt so tired. Before she had just been tired of the Earp Curse, but now it was a different kind of tired. She was tired of saying and doing the wrong thing.

Losing Willa had been bad enough, but finding Willa again? That inevitability almost felt **worse** (and made Waverly feel terrible about feeling that way, creating a cycle of guilt). And now, piled on top of all **that** , was a pang of longing for how much Waverly missed Shorty. How much she missed her old life before Shorty had died, before Gus was leaving, before Willa had come back.

 _What about before Wynonna came back? …no. I wouldn't trade her for anything._

 _Before Nicole? … **definitely** not. Nicole is my best—well, she's the best._

Waverly had a vague memory of being in this shop as a child with her father and sisters. She remembered Willa begging Daddy for a guitar she'd seen in the window. 12-year-old Willa wanted to learn to play while Daddy disagreed because she needed to focus. Wynonna had been fascinated by a wall of various military knives (just what every 10-year-old girl needed).

A 5-year-old Waverly had spent the entire visit with her face pressed against the jewelry case. She loved jewelry (still did, as evidenced by her large collection of earrings, necklaces and bangle bracelets). Little Waverly had wanted a pretty ring like Momma or a pretty necklace like Willa. She didn't get one that day. Instead, Willa got a new switchblade.

 _…Willa… Willa's necklace…_

 _Ugh. Stupid Bobo._

Waverly had the faintest of hopes that maybe— **maybe** —Bobo had hocked the small crescent moon at the pawn shop. She made her way over to the glass case opposite the gun racks. But a quick skim of the low shelves revealed no familiar gold chain or green medallion.

 _Which means he's keeping it as a trophy. **Gross**._

She almost slammed a fist against the glass counter but stopped herself (and pounded the top of her fist on her thigh instead). Yet another thing that wasn't going right.

Turning on her heel, a different display caught Waverly's eye. Not the necklaces, but the trays of rings. There, in a recessed box, were a pair of matching gold rings with tiny green jewels at their centers.

The elderly pawn dealer, finished with the two men, smiled at Waverly. He called over to her as he slid along the opposite side of the counter. "Find somethin' you like, darlin'?"

She checked her watch. Surely Waverly could spare a minute. Willa had been gone all damn night, after all.

 _And Wynonna had stopped for booze._

Gesturing to the two rings, Waverly asked to see. Something about them spoke to her. They were simple, lovely, sweet.

The man, Ernest, pulled on a pair of half-moon spectacles hanging from a black cord on his neck. Blinking, he pulled out the box and examined the rings. He recalled a Navajo artist who used to come to the Ghost River Triangle and sell her jewelry at the county fairs. A small hand-inscribed card indicated these were "Lucky Stones" that could "bring peace and balance." To exchange rings of green jade was to "heal the wearer and purify your energy field with loving acceptance."

Ernie winked at Waverly as he slipped his glasses off. "I don't know about all that, but they **are** fourteen carat gold." He quoted her a price.

Before she even knew what she was doing, Waverly had pulled out a credit card. Even Ernest seemed taken aback, but he accepted her card and hustled over to the register. "Got someone in mind for one of these?"

"I think I do," Waverly smiled back.

Waverly tucked the small box into a pocket of her brown quilted coat and quickly headed back outside.

Waiting at the intersection was a still-scowling Wynonna, hand slipping an opened bottle back into her puffy black jacket. Waverly met Wynonna in front of a florist and they walked down the street together, eyes peeled for Willa.

Wynonna kicked at the ground with her boots, frustration raw in her voice. "What were you thinking, showing Willa her own scrapbook of death?"

Waverly balked at the accusation. "Wha—She was curious! Wouldn't **you** be curious?"

"Well, it freaked her out!" Wynonna snapped back, eyebrows arching.

All Waverly could do was sheepishly mumble. "…yea, more like pissed her off." She scanned the few people out and about down the street. Still no Willa.

"I wish Doc were here."

When Waverly shot her a glare, Wynonna begrudgingly clarified. "He bailed on me… on **us**. …But he's a hell of a tracker."

"Yea, good point," Waverly admitted. She felt that pang of frustration again. "How are we gonna find a girl we know nothing about?"

Waverly had spent most of the night trying to find the sister she **thought** she knew, but that was her first mistake: this wasn't **their** Willa.

Glancing over at her sister, Waverly was confused when she saw Wynonna looking past her. A turn of Waverly's head revealed a large yellow flier taped to the lamppost. It was an advertisement for half priced drinks at Shorty's-slash-Bobo's.

 _Ugh._

Wynonna growled with disdain. "What is that musk-ox playing at?" Her eyes suddenly lit up with realization. "Hey! …you think?"

It took Waverly another second to figure out what Wynonna was getting at.

"She **is** an Earp," Waverly agreed with a nod.

Eyes widening in almost-panic, Wynonna smiled slightly. "Bet she drinks 'em dry in 20 minutes."

Waverly sighed loudly. "Come on."

* * *

Willa was indeed hiding out at Shorty's/Bobo's trying out various beers and liquors. Waverly had been apprehensive about confronting her sister again, but this time Wynonna patted her arm and stepped up. Instead, Waverly had run back to get her Jeep to take them home.

She relished the excused to retreat, honestly. There was something about Willa that reminded Waverly of Daddy (and not just because of the cold, coiled way she drank, like she was half-asleep but could fly into a rage at any moment).

That last thing Waverly had heard over her shoulder before exiting the bar was a glass slamming down.

"You shouldn't be here," Wynonna had said in a hushed voice.

And again that cold, accusing voice of Willa's. "And you shouldn't have shot our daddy."

A shudder crawled down Waverly's spine as she jogged down the block to her car. It was the same feeling from last night, a sense of smallness in Willa's cold presence. Wrapped in that smallness was that familiar, irrational desire to please, to make Willa understand what was going on.

Hopefully Wynonna would have better luck than Waverly did.

Climbing into her Jeep, Waverly slammed the door and savored the quiet for a moment. Unfortunately, along with that peace crept in the exhaustion she'd been keeping at bay with coffee and a prayer. She took a few deep breaths and shook it out of her shoulders before turning the ignition and cruising over to the alley behind Shorty's.

Waverly idled there and lolled her head against the head rest for a minute before pulling out her phone. Her thumbs tapped out a quick message.

[Waverly says: "Found Willa drinking at Bobo's. Waiting on Wynonna to pick her up now"]

Closing her eyes, Waverly rested her forehead against the cool steering wheel and let the heat warm her toes. A text message chime brought her head back up.

[Nicole says: "That should surprise me but it doesn't"]

Waverly snickered and gave an assenting nod to herself.

[Waverly says: "That's fair"]

[Waverly says: "Remember the days when we could go 5 mins without drama?"]

[Nicole says: "No drama? In what Purgatory do you live in? Mine is chock full of drama :P"]

[Waverly says: "Lol true enough"]

[Waverly says: "I miss you. Having a good day?"]

[Nicole says: "Miss you too. And it's been good. Pretty quiet"]

[Waverly says: "How's my little foot warmer?"]

A long pause. This time, a SnapChat pinged back with a picture of Calamity Jane curled up on Waverly's blanket draped over the couch. The text caption read "I can't tell if she misses you or just really likes your blanket."

[Waverly says: "Aww! Obvs she misses ME"]

[Nicole says: "Lol totes obvs"]

The sound of glass shattering roused Waverly from her blissful few minutes talking to Nicole.

 _Oh God… Wynonna._

 _Or Willa._

Leaving her Jeep idling with steam clouding around the tailpipe, Waverly threw open the car door and headed in through the side entrance. She was just in time to see a Revenant screaming in agony as he was dragged down to hell in flames.

 _Yes!_

 _…No! Wait! Bad! That's bad!_

Glancing over, it was Willa staring down the end of Peacemaker in her hand.

 _Oh God. It is true. She's the real Earp Heir._

The bar was descending into chaos (though over the gunshot or the Revenant-sent-back-to-hell, it was hard to tell which). Stools were kicked away as bikers backed off, some with glowing red eyes. Waverly shouted at her sister and waved them over to the back entrance. **"Wynonna!"**

Wynonna gave a nod before she started arguing with Willa. Waverly didn't stay to watch, she just ran at full speed back to her Jeep and maneuvered it as close to that door as possible. Her heart was pounding in fear, her fingers drumming on the steering wheel.

 _Oh balls oh balls oh balls oh balls oh balls oh balls oh—What if something happened? What if a Revenant comes out that door? What if **Bobo** comes out that door? What if Wynonna got hurt? Or Willa? Or a regular person? What if they lose Peacemaker in the confusion? What if—_

The side door flew open to reveal: Wynonna! With Willa right behind her!

 _Oh thank God._

Waverly waved them into her car, keeping her eyes peeled in case any Revenants followed.

"That was amazing!" Willa exclaimed breathlessly as she crawled into the backseat.

Jumping into the passenger seat, Wynonna shouted in agreement before shooting Waverly an uncertain look. "…Dolls is gonna kill us!"

* * *

The drive back was awkward. Waverly was quietly miserable the entire time, her eyes on the road. Wynonna and Willa were only talking to each other, gushing over what a rush that fight was. Wynonna was also listing off some of the Revenants she'd killed since returning to Purgatory.

It was just—Waverly didn't know what to say. She felt like she should apologize to Willa, but just not **why**. Plus, it felt like it would ruin the banter Willa and Wynonna were sharing—like it would bring down the moment or something.

 _Ugh_.

What Waverly **really** wanted to do was have a damn second to herself to call Nicole. She found herself needing to hear a friendly voice.

Finally arriving back at the Homestead, Waverly saw Dolls' black SUV parked in the long driveway. Oddly, she was relieved by the thought of his presence (in spite how pissed he'd probably be about shooting Revenants in broad daylight at Shorty's/Bobo's). Maybe he would know what to do about Willa? Or at least yell some sense into her? Maybe?

The stern military operative greeted them at the door, though Waverly slunk past while mumbling about putting on a kettle for tea.

Safe in the kitchen, away from everyone, Waverly allowed herself a deep breath. That was about all the time it took before the shouting started (instigated by Willa). Busying herself with dragging the metal pot from under the cabinet and filling it with tap water, Waverly could only sigh.

Willa was doing an impressive impersonation of Daddy as she admonished Dolls about the Earp Curse. How he wasn't one of us. Dolls growled back about civilians. Waverly dug around in the pantry to look for tea while Will and Dolls screamed about nukes and instincts.

The sound of a chair being kicked and a door slamming made Waverly flinch.

This whole day had been doing a bang-up job reproducing memories of Waverly's childhood she'd tried **really** hard to forget. Right down to Wynonna running away from everything. Oh God, how Waverly wanted to go with Wynonna this time. But, like when they were kids, it was Willa who took command while Waverly hid away.

"I'm her sister. I got it," Willa said as she brushed Dolls aside and headed outside. To the barn, probably. It was the only real place to go at the Homestead for privacy (hence why Waverly had claimed a Spot at the Reservoir as far from home as possible).

That constant, exhausted shiver in Waverly's shoulders was accompanied by a hollow ache in her chest. Just an overwhelming sense of feeling out of place… that she didn't belong here.

Grasping for her phone, Waverly craved some human contact. But Dolls was right there, damn it. Can't she get some frickin' peace and quiet in her own frickin' house? She settled for yet another text.

[Waverly says: "Sooo they kind of started a bar fight"]

[Nicole says: "Are you okay?"]

[Waverly says: "Oh I'm fine, I was outside. Wy and Willa probably kicked some ass tho"]

[Nicole says: "You Earps, I swear to god ;)"]

 _…Us Earps, indeed…_

 _That's **right**. I'm a frickin' Earp and Wynonna is **my** frickin' sister, too._

Inhaling a deep breath, Waverly squared her shoulders and pulled the whistling kettle off the stove. She strode past Dolls lurking in the living room to the front door and pulled it open.

The afternoon chill on the Homestead was biting, even with the sun so high. The surrounding snow was piled deep and in no immediate hurry to melt. Two pairs of footprints angled away from the sets around the porch and led to a large barn looming nearby.

Waverly would talk to Wynonna, too. She had been there for her sister the past few months, dealing with all the Earp Curse shit together. They would get through it. Together.

Except… not together.

Waverly had slipped into that barn to the sound of laughter. Willa and Wynonna, sharing a memory.

"We were two peas, you and I," Willa said. "It's always been you and I."

 _No, not **always**. What about me?_

Eyes glassy with tears, Wynonna cheek twitched fondly. "Yeah. I remember."

Leaning in, Willa's smile was warm with promise. "It can be like it always was. And different, too. In all the right ways. You're not alone anymore."

 _"Anymore."_

 _"Anymore?"_

 _Say something, Wynonna. You weren't alone. You had me. For 15 years we've had each other._

 _Remember?_

 _Say something._

 ** _Say something!_**

But she didn't. Wynonna just sighed and let Willa— **Willa** —hug her. Comfort her.

This time when Waverly took a deep breath, she didn't feel better. She felt empty. Alone.

Slipping back out the barn, a cold breeze stung Waverly's eyes (and lungs with each shallow breath). It was her turn to want to run as far away as possible. A few (dozen) drinks at Shorty's— **Bobo's** —sounded really good right now. Too bad **someone** had started a bar fight and killed a frickin' Revenant in broad daylight.

It was just like being a little kid again. Willa and Wynonna together always with no room for Waverly. That was always clear. She wasn't wanted.

What if—what if they didn't need her anymore? To help break the curse? She was **third** in line to be Heir (again). What did she have to offer?

Willa had Daddy's training. Wynonna had been around the world and killed a bunch of Revenants already. And Waverly? They had her research. Her contribution was pinned to a board or piled into neat stacks at the BBD office. She might as well not even be there.

Waverly returned to the kitchen and made tea in bitter silence. She brought an additional cup over to Dolls, who was zoned out at the kitchen table staring at his cell phone.

"You're quiet," Waverly remarked, retreating to her old standby: polite small talk.

The Deputy Marshall actually smiled back as his fingers spun the teacup on the round table. "Yea, I'm just thinking. There's a lot going on right now that just doesn't add up."

 _I couldn't agree more._

Dolls scratched at the close-cropped hair on the top of his head. "Like, if Cryderman **is** dirty: that means someone is feeding him some BBD intel."

"Someone we know? Or someone you work for?" Waverly asked.

The significance of the conversation wasn't lost on her: if he suspected her, he wouldn't be telling her. That meant Dolls **trusted** Waverly.

 _At least—at least **someone** does._

"I don't know. Black Badge isn't just a—a job for me," Dolls admitted with a sheepish grin.

A bitter sigh of a laugh caught in Waverly's throat. "Yea, no kidding." She smiled at Dolls what she hoped was encouragement. "I get it. Feeling like you're about to lose something…"

 _…Or everything…_

The man adjusted in his chair and leaned forward, elbows on the table. His voice softened to an almost-whisper. "It's okay if you don't like her, you know."

That struck a defensive chord. But this time, Waverly could actually try to explain to someone else who might listen. "I'm **happy** she's back. I really am. It's just—I never really knew her, y'know? …still don't."

Dolls peered at her with intensity. He promised, "We'll get to the bottom of it, alright?"

 _"We."_

 ** _Right_ **_._

 _What "we?" Two Earp Heirs, a Deputy Marshall, and the little sister no one remembers exists?_

 _Right._

Deflecting, Waverly smiled politely and took a sip of her tea. "Yea, I'm sure you will."

" **All** of us," Dolls corrected, his dark eyes holding hers significantly. He nodded his head slowly. "You're **good** at what you do." Smiling, he then shook his head. "Doesn't matter how many Willas come back. Doesn't." His hand slapped the table as he leaned back in his chair. "We're still gonna need **you** , Earp."

 _…Earp…_

"You called me Earp," Waverly echoed, her cheeks suddenly hurting from a pleased smile.

The sullen man brushed it off with a grin. "Yea, I did. Don't let it go to your head." But there was a twinkle in Dolls' eye. He sobered before asking, "…There's only three of you, right?"

Waverly laughed for real this time. The first time all day.

And then everything went batshit **insane**. The next few minutes were a total blur of noise, acrid smoke, and pumping adrenaline.

Broken windows, smoke bombs(!), popping gunfire, Dolls shouting orders, and then just crawling. Waverly squealed out blasphemies and curses as she crawled through the Homestead, lamps shattering and wood splintering all around and above her.

She remembered grabbing her shotgun from the kitchen table, the popping still echoing around her. There was a feeling of resentment at Dolls wanting her to hide in the basement while she clutched her shotgun. Bowls, apples, the teacups, **everything** was just exploding into bits around her as she hid behind the kitchen cabinets and waited for an opening.

That resentment boiled over into white-hot rage. This whole day— _week_ — _month_ —had just been too God Damn much and Waverly was God Damn sick and tired of it. If it wasn't Revenants, it was witches or zombies or a long-lost sister and **now** assholes with guns and— ** _you know what?!_**

"Eat shit, shit-eaters!" Waverly shouted as she unloaded her Winchester into the nearest Asshole in snow camo wielding an assault rifle. But the man, hunkered behind a woodpile, recovered and aimed back at her.

Waverly's rage was immediately replaced by agony as she landed hard on her knees. Her whole right side radiated with a sharp pain that made it hard to breathe. Clutching her side, Waverly's fingertips came back crimson with blood. She managed to stand and tried to walk over to the dining room as she heard her sisters' voices at the front door, alive and angry.

Nope. Nope. She couldn't do it. Waverly took a few steps forward, trying to hold the pain in. But it was too much. "Uh, guys? I think I got a little bit shot." And with that, Waverly collapsed to the floor.

Willa's angry shouting was hard to make out in the background. But Wynonna's worried face swam in Waverly's vision, calling her name and telling her it was going to be okay.

 _Oh God oh God oh God it hurts it hurts it hurts_

"It's just a graze," Dolls informed her as he pulled back part of her sweater caked in blood. His probing fingertips made her hiss in pain.

"'Just?'" Waverly quipped back, her breathing getting shallow as she struggled not to hyperventilate.

Wynonna's head snapped up at the front door slamming. "Shit! Willa!" The panic in Wynonna's face made Waverly grip her sister's wrist.

 _God damn it._

"Go," Waverly said with a shaky nod. "We can't lose her again." She shouted "Go!" again and pushed Wynonna away.

A pattering of gunfire sprang Wynonna into action. She slapped Dolls on the shoulder and said softly, "Take care of her."

Then everything swam for a bit.

Oh God, how it **hurt**.

Dolls was there, whispering reassurances. There was a hard pressure against her ribs that just pushed all the pain inward. She remembered muttering "Oh God" a lot and whimpering. All Waverly could do was whimper. There was so much blood and her head hurt along with her side. It was just dizzy, aching misery that seemed to last forever.

Waverly was just so **so** tired. She probably would have passed out already if the pain hadn't been so sharp and reverberated all the way into her teeth.

She remembered asking Dolls if she should go to the hospital. "For stitches? Or something?"

"Hospitals are gonna ask a lot of questions," Dolls reminded her as he helped her into a chair at their now-splintered kitchen table. Pock marks of bullet holes covered the wooden surface. Packing the wound with gauze and taping over it, Dolls said, "You're gonna be okay. Keep pressure on it and the wrap clean and it'll be okay."

A second later, his phone rang. Wynonna. Both sisters were safe and so was the Homestead.

Crouching on the floor next to Waverly, Dolls examined the wound before nodding, satisfied with his triage. He then slung an arm under her shoulders to get her to a comfortable position on the couch. "Get some rest, then I'll go check the perimeter."

His hand covering her wrist, Dolls smiled. "You did good, **Earp**."

After the door slammed shut behind him, Waverly was struck with how oddly quiet the Homestead was. For the first time since early this morning (minus her screaming "Willa!" every 10 seconds or so), the Homestead was still.

Waverly didn't want to be alone **or** "get some rest." She felt around in her pockets, a section of her pants already stiff from dried blood. But she found her cell phone, undamaged from the attack.

An unread text from Nicole sat on the screen.

[Nicole says: "Hope you and your sisters are getting along okay"]

 _Oh God. Nicole._

Waverly glanced down her herself, her white sweater tattered and spackled with blood. Even worse was the rest of the living room. Windows shattered, bullet holes riddled in every surface, tufts of fluff wafted in the air from the couch and chairs. The living room and kitchen were both a literal wreck.

 _I can't hide this from her._

 _But how do I **explain** this? _

_I'm just so tired. Tired of keeping everything in. I just… need to talk to someone._

Waverly's finger found Nicole's number before she could even stop herself. She winced as she switched hands to hold the phone to her left ear. Elbow akimbo and sticking off the sofa, Waverly's right hand pressed as best it could against the bullet wound to keep the pressure on.

 _Bullet wound. I was shot. Oh God I got shot._

On the third ring, a warm voice answered.

["Hey you!"]

Sighing with relief, Waverly struggled to find words. "Hey, I—I just—I was just—"

 _Keep it together, Earp._

The warmth chilled to worry. ["Waverly. What's wrong?"]

There was a fluttering panic in Waverly's throat at how terrible an idea this was and how close she was to just bursting into tears. But she was just so tired. Tired of holding everything in.

"So, I—I need to tell you something, Nicole. You have to—have to **promise** not to freak out…"

 _Oh good one. Now she probably thinks I'm breaking up with her._

["Okayyyyy…"] Nicole sounded skeptical but played along.

"So there was—there was kind of a thing… at the Homestead…"

["What kind of thing? A party? …A house party with psychos? You promised I was invited to the next one!"] Nicole started off serious but devolved into teasing. There was still a strain in her voice, though.

Waverly stared up at the ceiling and tried to gather her thoughts. "Um… sort of? No, that's not it. Look, so I'm okay and Wynonna is okay and Willa is back—she's okay, too—and Dolls is okay. We just—there were people… and they, uh… So Dolls and Wynonna and Willa took care of it and everything is okay but—"

["Waverly."] Nicole interrupted. ["You've said 'okay' like five times. Something **that** 'okay' usually means it isn't. Please. What's going on?"]

Sighing, Waverly muttered into her phone. "The Homestead was attacked."

[" **What?** What do you mean **attacked?!** "]

"We're okay! Some sort of—I don't know… government turf war? I don't know. But Dolls and Wynonna took care of them—it."

["Did you call the police?"]

"No! No… we can't, Nicole. There could be something— **someone** —dirty. We don't know who. We gotta take care of it ourselves." Waverly chewed her cheek and tried to suppress a groan. She had shifted her torso slightly and was rewarded with another sharp pain.

 _Oh God, what if it could be Nicole?_

 _…really?_

There was a long pause at the other end before Nicole sighed. ["…okay. I mean, I don't **like** it, but I get it. As long as you're safe…"]

Adjusting her right hand, Waverly noticed her fingers were starting to feel damp. She raised her hand above her eyes and took note of the smear of red across them before tucking the hand back at her side. This time, she did groan. "Uh… **well** …"

["Waverly?"]

"Don't freak out, okay?"

["Waverly!"] Nicole's voice was a warning.

"Okay!" Waverly scowled. She took a deep breath. "I—I got hit."

["What do you mean you 'got hit?'"]

Cringing, Waverly said through her teeth, "Shot. I was… shot."

["Oh my God! **Waverly!** "]

"Shit! I meant—it—it was just a graze!"

[" **Are you okay?** "] An increase in volume along with stress.

 _Someone actually **asked**._

It was all Waverly could do not to just open the floodgates and dissolve into a puddle of exhausted tears. "No… no I'm **not** , Nicole. But—It just—Everything hurts and today sucks balls and I'm just—I'm about to… I don't know…"

["Are you going to the hospital? Because I will **meet you there** and—"]

"Nicole…"

["—and I think there's a specialist—I can't remember her name but I will call them and make sure she's—because you're—"]

"Nicole!"

The rambling stopped immediately.

"Nicole… we can't go to the hospital. Whoever did this might be looking for us there and—and we're safer at the Homestead, okay? Just trust me, please? Dolls is taking care of me." Waverly actually felt a warm sense of reassurance. For once, Dolls had been completely on Waverly's side. And come through for her when she needed him.

["I'm coming over."]

 _Yes!_

 _No! Wait! Oh God there are probably bodies everywhere and the house is a wreck and **I'm** a wreck and it might not be safe and—and—_

"No, wait!" Waverly started to roll off the sofa but a sting made air hiss through her teeth. Her head was starting to throb again, along with her entire right side starting at her ribs.

Nicole pleaded. ["Waverly. Please let me see you. I'm your—I—I care about you and I need to know you're all right. **Please**."]

"I want to see you, too! But I don't know if it's safe and everything—every **one** —is a mess and high strung and—please. Just… just wait."

There was a long pause at the other end of the phone.

["Can I—can you at least send me a picture? Because I am freaking out a little and I'd feel better just knowing that you're—you're—"]

"Okay," Waverly interrupted. "Promise. Right now. **And** I'll talk to you later when everything's calmed down a little. Because I do want— **need** —to see you. Okay, Nicole?"

There was a long, jittery exhale on the other end. ["Okay, Waves."]

"Miss you."

["I miss you too."] Nicole's tone was soft and there was a hint of shaky breathlessness that made Waverly feel fluttery (and finally in a good way).

With an exchange of goodbyes, they hung up. Waverly sighed and tapped over to SnapChat and opened the selfie camera. Other than deep circles under her eyes and her long hair fanned out in tangles on the pillow, Waverly didn't look **terrible** (all things considered). She gave a weak smile and snapped a picture.

She then tried to hold the phone as far back at arm's length as she could manage (a much harder feat). The surrounding chaos of the living room made it look like the war zone Waverly was trying to avoid. Snapping a photo of her wound, Waverly angled away to crop out the bled-through bandage. It just looked like a small scratch on her side.

[Waverly says: "See? I only look a little like shit"]

[Nicole says: "Liar. You are still beautiful 3"]

[Nicole says: "Thank you, Waves. I feel better. Take care of your self"]

* * *

The Earp sisters eventually made it back to the Homestead just as the sun was setting. Willa busied herself with cleaning up. There was still something about her demeanor that made Waverly want to apologize or help or do something to make her happy. Possibly the odd, furtive glances Willa kept shooting her.

The side glances intensified when Wynonna sat down with Waverly at the kitchen table. They were joined by Dolls. Waverly had managed a shower and a change of clothes, though the wound at her side was already starting to seep blood down her side.

She felt awkward sitting at the table with her shirt hiked up almost above her sports bra with Dolls' hot breath on her ribs. He explained to Wynonna how to wrap the injury and then mumbled about how he was going to do a final sweep of the perimeter and come back.

A little trial and error, but Wynonna figured it out pretty quickly. Dabbing at a fresh gauze pad with antiseptic, she gave Waverly an encouraging smile. "Dolls said you kicked some ass with your shotgun."

Squinting skeptically, Waverly tilted her head. "When? Before or after I got shot?" She mumbled, "I wish everyone would stop telling me to **hide** when shit hits the fan."

"We just want you safe, babygirl," Wynonna replied. She reached over to apply the pad. "Put pressure here."

Waverly hissed at the pain. It was hard to see over her hands/breast in her way. "Do you think it'll scar?"

The older Earp winked and gave a slanted smile. "Dudes dig scars."

 _Hmmmm…_

Before she could stop herself, Waverly found herself asking: "Do chicks?"

For a moment, there was confusion in Wynonna's eyes. Just as she opened her mouth to ask, the door slammed. Dolls had returned.

It was worse than they thought. These human mercenaries had top-shelf gear and were ex-military. And their target was Deputy Marshal Xavier Dolls.

There was definitely a traitor in their midst. Someone who had infiltrated Black Badge or Judge Cryderman's office or both. And there was no way of knowing how far to the top the conspiracy went.

Willa returned and interrupted the BBD crew's worried theorizing with a doozy of a request: "I need you to tell me everything you know about Bobo Del Rey."

"Do you remember something?" Wynonna asked, eyes crinkling with concern.

"I don't know. But I want to," Willa replied. She chewed her cheek, her blue eyes distant.

Dolls raised a hand, his jacket whispering with the movement. "I can help with that. We can try a few techniques." He started counting off his fingers. "There's guided imagery, hypnosis, even some drug-induced—"

Willa interrupted him. "I'll do it." She shot Wynonna a significant glance, her mouth a hard line. "Whatever it takes."

"Okay," Dolls said, head bobbing forward in agreement. "We'll start in the morning." When Wynonna started to balk, he gave her a shrug. "It's important, right? And you'll be with her every step of the way."

The former Heir gave begrudging nod. Smiling, Wynonna patted at Waverly's injured side and ran a finger through her sister's hair. That motherly glint had finally come back. "You. Get some rest, yea? I'll be up in a minute with a bottle of the good stuff."

Exhaling in a laugh, Waverly narrowed her eyes in disapproval. "Wynonna…"

"Fine, the bottle's for me. Just a shot for you, then. And a couple painkillers." Brunette locks tossed as Wynonna gestured at the stairs with her head. "Bed. Now."

Waverly nodded and accepted the dismissal, though that fluttering resentment returned when Willa took her chair at the table. The two older sisters clustered together carefully as Wynonna started from the beginning.

With a sigh, Waverly crawled into her bed properly for the first time in a few days. The exhaustion from the day gave way to a deep yawn. She felt it all the way down her shoulders until it met the throbbing ache at her side.

Before falling asleep, Waverly pulled out her cell phone.

[Waverly says: "Dolls cleared the Homestead though he wants us to stick close tonight"]

Thankfully, Nicole answered immediately. She'd been so quick to respond all day. So sweet and attentive.

[Nicole says: "Tell me you're okay again"]

Waverly smile was a slanted, crinkled thing.

[Waverly says: "I'm fine, I swear"]

[Nicole says: "Okay. What about now"]

[Waverly says: "Still fine"]

[Nicole says: "Are you sure?"]

[Waverly says: "YES OMG"]

[Nicole says: "You were SHOT"]

[Waverly says: "I was GRAZED"]

There was a pause. A series of "…" appeared and reappeared for close to 30 seconds.

[Nicole says: "I don't know what I would do if anything happened to you"]

[Waverly says: "Me either"]

[Waverly says: "I'm okay. Honestly 3"]

[Nicole says: "3"]

[Waverly says: "I'm gonna go to sleep. About to pass out. Come by tomorrow?"]

[Nicole says: "First thing. Should I bring breakfast?"]

[Waverly says: "Please"]

[Nicole says: "Any requests?"]

[Waverly says: "I'd kill for a breakfast taco"]

[Nicole says: "You got it, baby"]

[Waverly says: "Thanks, baby"]

[Nicole says: "Sweet dreams 3"]

[Waverly says: "Definitely"]

She fell asleep with her phone on her chest. Waverly was dimly aware of Wynonna coming in to drop off a glass of water. She felt a kiss to her forehead and a pat to her shoulder, but it could have been her imagination.

The next sound Waverly heard was the doorbell.

Nicole was here.


	7. not just a house call

_Wherein Nicole tends to her girlfriend(?) who got shot(!). And tries to get some answers on why everything Earp is so insane all the time. Alone time together with Waverly at the Homestead for the first time is pretty complicated, but nice all the same._

 _Takes place between 1x11 and 1x12. Rather detailed description of a gunshot wound._

 _Throwback mention to one of my "just friends" fics: just blowing off steam._

* * *

Standing on the wide front porch, Nicole Haught stared out at the stretch of land that made up the Earp Homestead.

Early morning sunlight sparkled across a fresh powder of snow. Surrounding the old-fashioned ranch house was a recently repaired wood fence, a few sparse ponderosa pine and aspen trees, and a truck posted up on cinder blocks and covered with a tarp. A wagon filled with old fence posts was parked off to the side, snow clinging to the exposed wood.

The length of the nearby barn was lined with chopped firewood, about a third of it consumed as the winter waned on. In the distance, a dark valley hinted at a frozen-over pond not too far from a mound of stone (probably a well for water). And welcoming all to the property was the large wooden archway at the entrance with a hand-carved slat that simply said: "EARP."

It was a beautiful place, really.

Nicole just wished she could visit this place under better circumstances.

This marked her second visit to the Earp property following the scene of a crime.

The first time had felt like forever ago (then again, everything pre-Waverly seemed like an echo of a different life). Taking statements from Waverly and Chrissy Nedley, noting the dead bodies inside and outside the house, dealing with Wynonna being evasive about the whole thing… It would have seemed like a nightmare—if the **real** nightmare hadn't occurred immediately after.

Rubbing her eyebrow, Nicole felt a phantom pain at her forehead and right hand where she'd been attacked. Her dreams about Jack of Knives had finally started to fade, though possibly because she had something better to dream about lately.

And this time, Nicole wasn't here as a cop (though part of her wished she **was** just to find out why this kept **happening** to the Earps).

If only so Nicole could be better equipped to protect—

"Hey you."

At the familiar voice, Nicole turned her head towards the chipped, blue front door that was now open. Warm relief caught in Nicole's throat when she saw the woman.

Clad in pink house slippers, striped workout pants and a faded PHS Cheerleading shirt under a long knit sweater, Waverly Earp was busy finishing a loose side braid to tame that long hair. Her left elbow held the door ajar, her smile radiant. Nicole noted the dark circles under Waverly's eyes and a slightly paler complexion than usual.

 _Oh Waverly…_

Smiling broadly, Nicole walked forward to pull Waverly into a (careful) hug. Hands immediately snaked around Nicole's waist as she wrapped her arms around Waverly's shoulders. Nicole stroked Waverly's hair as the woman's head fell into its familiar spot tucked against her collarbone. The open door dug into Nicole's shoulder, but she didn't care in the slightest.

They held each other for a few long moments.

"I'm so happy to see you," Waverly sighed, her breath tickling Nicole's neck.

Nicole spoke to the top of Waverly's head. "I'm happy you're okay, baby."

A bitter laugh. "…More or less."

Smoothing her hands along Waverly's back, Nicole kissed her temple and took a small step back. But Waverly closed the space with a hungry kiss, her eyes shut tight. Nicole thought she saw a small tear run down Waverly's cheek, but returned the kiss with fervor. Her hands ran down Waverly's shoulders to her arms to rub warmth back into them.

When they finally pulled apart, Waverly did indeed wipe a thumb at her cheek before smiling. She rolled her eyes and gave a fretful sigh. "I'm sorry you have to see me like this, Nicole. I wish it—I wish I—"

"Wave," Nicole interrupted, shaking her head. "You have nothing to apologize for. That's what—" _Girlfriends?_ "—best friends are for, right?" She smiled.

Waverly scowled as she deadpanned, "Oh, you mean nursing each other's gunshot wounds?" She cringed a little at the g-word, then her eyes widened in worry. "Oh God! You're a cop! **You** could get shot! …Have you ever been shot? Oh God… I don't know what I'd do if…" Trailing off, Waverly started anxiously rubbing the sleeves of her sweater together with her palms.

"I have **not** been shot, no," Nicole confirmed, though she paused before clarifying. "I mean… **technically** , I have?" She rushed to clarify when Waverly's hazel eyes flashed in panic. "It was in Academy! Training! We wore bulletproof vests and got hit with beanbag rounds to simulate what it would feel like and how to react. Same with getting tazed." Reaching out, Nicole ran a finger down Waverly's side braid in reassurance. "But since becoming a cop: **no,** I haven't."

 _Not **yet** , anyway. Risk comes with the job._

 _Maybe—maybe I'll be lucky._

Waverly gave an explosive sigh through a jutting lip, which wafted loose tendrils around her face. Her eyes playfully narrowed. " **Good**. You better **stay** that way."

Nicole arched an eyebrow and tilted her head. "I could say the same thing about **you**. Something something glass houses?"

That scowl returned along with a blush. "Fair enough. …Care to come in and stay awhile?" Waverly's eyes sparkled with mischief.

Nodding, Nicole leaned in to give Waverly a quick kiss before gesturing next to the front door. A pair of tan, bulging bags sat waiting. "I brought a bounty of **all** the best things. **Something's** gonna make you feel better."

"I already do," Waverly said simply. "You're here." A sweet crinkle of a smile went from Waverly's cheeks all the way to her eyes.

 _Just heavenly_.

Hefting the large canvas bags, Nicole brought her haul inside and left it next to the refrigerator before depositing her large green coat and black boots next to the door.

The youngest Earp offered Nicole a proper tour of the Homestead (rather than the professional inspection Nicole had done in the line of duty after the "stripper attack"). Waverly was apologetic over the mess.

Nicole's cop instincts noted some attempts at covering destruction. Boards over windows. Missing picture frames and what looked like bullet holes in the walls. Blankets thrown over furniture barely hid tatters. The room smelled faintly of sawdust and smoke (not from a fire, but more like something acrid... _artificial_...).

 _…Like a smoke bomb?_

 _Oh God, what **happened** here_ _?_ _?_

Nicole bit her lip against the sea of questions in her mind.

 _Patience... Make sure she's okay first..._

 **Otherwise** , the ranch house was cozy. Downstairs held a blue kitchen, a living room full of old sofas worn with use, a sitting room and a spare bathroom. The upstairs led to a trio of bedrooms and a guest bathroom. The master bedroom had been taken over by Wynonna (and was locked tight), another bedroom was a shrine to a 13-year-old Willa, while Waverly's room was a strange mix of adult furniture with childhood wall decorations that she hadn't gotten around to updating.

Apparently Young Waverly had really liked horses.

 _The unicorn makes sense._

As they started to head down, Nicole noticed that Waverly had gotten paler and seemed to be gritting her teeth.

"Wave. Are you okay?"

A pained swallow. "Fine. Need to take some meds and I'm probably due for a bandage change."

Waverly pulled at the lapel of her sweater and Nicole could indeed see a small stain of blood peeking through on her worn t-shirt, right around her ribs.

 _Oh God… **Wave** …_

"Can I help? I brought a first aid kit just in case." Nicole gave what she hoped was a kind smile. "And breakfast tacos to heal anything else that might ail ya."

"Are you sure? I think—I think I can do it. It's just—uh—hard…" Waverly trailed off, those pale cheeks briefly reddening.

Grabbing at the woman's hand, Nicole squeezed. "Hey. Let me take care of you, okay?" Waverly nodded and turned with a small smile, her eyes watery for a second.

Nicole had Waverly sit on the couch so she could be comfortable before retrieving a first aid kit from one of the canvas bags. It was an official-looking red metal tin with a white cross on top.

As Nicole knelt down next to Waverly, the woman wolf-whistled at the large toolbox of a kit. "Used that often?"

"First time since emergency management training," Nicole admitted. "But everything should be stocked and sterile and all that." Opening the case, the kit was tightly packed with gauze, antiseptic, alcohol swabs, burn sprays, sutures, sterile scissors, even a collection of pain medications.

Nicole reached for a thin, flat box first to pull on a pair of sterile gloves. She wiggled green fingers at Waverly. "They're latex-free, in case you're allergic."

Waverly bit her lower lip in intrigue as she watched Nicole work. "Good to know. And I am not, by the way. Allergic."

 _Good to know._

"May I?" Nicole gestured at the woman's shirt.

Pushing the sweater off her shoulders first, Nicole started to roll the bottom of Waverly's shirt upward. The intimacy of the gesture was not lost on Nicole. Especially as each inch of shirt revealed smooth, muscled abs. Tan and soft and perfect.

 _Keep it together, Haught. Keep it togetherrrrr…_

She might have been holding her breath. It was better than swooning like a moron. Nicole cleared her throat and deliberately avoided eye contact. But her peripheral vision still caught an amused, sly smile from the patient.

Around sternum-high just below the right breast, Nicole found the culprit. A gauze covering was damp with blood. Waverly held her shirt while Nicole examined the wound by carefully peeling off the tape and rolling back the old wrap.

It was indeed a gunshot from a large caliber round (like a 5.56mm or so). The skin was bruised and puckered around a 2-inch-long laceration, the pink muscle below raw and glistening. Bubbles of blood were already starting to form along the swatch of exposed skin, which was almost hot to the touch.

Not a deep wound ( _thank God_ ), but definitely a worrisome one. Nicole heard a hiss of pain from Waverly as her fingers gently probed around the area where the skin was a ragged red from burst blood vessels. "…Sorry," Nicole cringed in apology.

"It's okay," Waverly affirmed through clenched teeth, her smile weak.

Working quickly, Nicole swabbed the area with hydrogen peroxide before wiping it away with a sterile pad to minimize Waverly's discomfort. "Sorry, just making sure nothing gets infected."

"How does it look? I can't really see," Waverly said as she tried to lean her head forward. She jostled her chin slightly to demonstrate the awkward angle.

"Well, if I'm being honest: terrible." At Waverly's horrified look, Nicole corrected, "Er, I mean it's clean and seems to be healing. Just terrible that this had to happen to you." Nicole smiled sadly.

 _Oh Wave—Baby. How did this **happen** to you?_

A fresh gauze pad was covered in antibacterial ointment. Nicole was delicate as she held it to the wound, then taped a gauze wrap in place over it. Her gloves snapped as she peeled them off and gathered up the trash in a tight ball.

"You're good at that," Waverly commented. "Much better than Wynonna or Dolls, anyway."

"Thanks, though I don't know if that's something I **want** to be good at." Nicole arched an eyebrow as she stood up.

Reaching out, Waverly pulled Nicole down to the couch so they could sit together. Waverly leaned her weight into Nicole's side, her head craning to the left to fit on Nicole's shoulder. Nicole wrapped an arm around Waverly and played with the braid at her neck. Her hair smelled really good.

"How are you doing?" Nicole asked, nuzzling her cheek against Waverly's temple.

Wrinkling her nose, Waverly's voice was a forced chirp. "Great! My house got shot up by jerks, I can't say anything right to my long-lost sister, Wynonna and Dolls are doing God-knows-what to try and get Willa to remember anything, and I'm stuck at home for God-knows-how-long until they figure out who betrayed BBD. It's a perfect Friday."

"…It's Tuesday, Wave."

A small pause, then Waverly scowled. "Dammit, it **is** Tuesday. God, I'm starting to sound like Wynonna." She groaned.

"I don't think you swear enough for that. **Or** drink enough," Nicole observed.

"I guess I have time to remedy that while I'm home," Waverly retorted dryly.

"Please don't. The world does **not** need two Wynonnas. It **definitely** needs a Waverly."

"You think?"

Nicole smiled. "Well, **my** world definitely does."

A bashful exhale-laugh. "Mine, too." Waverly made a fretful frown before she corrected herself. "Uh—I mean, my world needs a Nicole."

"Good."

Sitting in peaceful silence, Nicole continued stroking Waverly's hair while Waverly rolled her fingers over Nicole's right thigh. Waverly occasionally rubbed her forehead against Nicole's chin. They might have held there longer, but suddenly a loud gurgling sound from Waverly's stomach broke the quiet.

Nicole chuckled and flicked at Waverly's shoulder. "I **do** have magic breakfast tacos, remember."

"Oh yea?"

"Yea, this girl I really liked turned me on to 'em around a month back."

"'Liked?' Past tense? What happened?" Waverly said with mock-concern.

"She liked me back."

Waverly's mouth pulled downward in a pleased smile as her eyes sparkled. "Smart girl."

"Very. How do you feel about tea?" Nicole offered before pushing off of the sofa.

"I love... tea." There was a change in that sparkle, as Waverly's hazel eyes seemed more brown suddenly. Richer, deeper. She looked like she was about to say something, but instead gave a crinkling smile.

Extending a hand, Nicole helped ease Waverly up out of the couch. The woman did wince slightly but waved off Nicole's concern.

With a snap, Nicole closed the first aid kit and picked up by the handle. She handed a small packet of ibuprofen over to Waverly then guided the woman over to the round kitchen table. She held out a chair and tucked Waverly snugly in at the table before busying herself in the unfamiliar kitchen.

She could almost feel Waverly's worried stare boring into her back.

"Are you sure I can't help you? Like put something away or make tea or—?"

 _I knew she'd hate sitting still,_ Nicole chuckled inwardly.

"Sit down and relax, Earp," Nicole admonished. She tossed her ponytail at Waverly. "You cleaned up **my** kitchen last time, remember? Let me take care of you."

To Waverly's credit, she let Nicole open and close most of the cabinets before giving verbal guidance to the location of the tea kettle and remaining cups. Putting the kettle on the stove, Nicole then stowed her groceries in the pantry and refrigerator. A paper bag she brought to the kitchen table along with a box of tea bags.

"Am I allowed to ask what you brought?" Waverly asked, bouncing in her chair with childish curiosity.

 _Just heavenly. And adorable._

Patting the sack and box, Nicole started listing off. "Breakfast tacos and chamomile tea." She threw a thumb at the fridge. "Some essentials like milk, eggs, and bread. Plus stuff to make a lasagna. And the biggest essential of all: ice cream."

"Ooo, what kind?"

Nicole started loudly emptying the paper sack on the table to avoid the question. "Oh, you know... So! Potato and egg for you. I wasn't sure where you stood on the hot sauce topic, but I grabbed mild, medium and hot."

"Is our relationship ready for this debate?" Waverly teased with wide eyes and a slanted smile.

 _...Relationship..._

"I'm in if you are, Earp."

Reaching forward, Waverly snagged a pair of the bright orange packets. "Oh, I like it Haught." Her pleased grin was nothing short of shit-eating as she unwrapped a taco and unleashed a stream of deep red liquid on it.

Shaking her head, Nicole cringed at the pun but chuckled. "Glad to hear it. I prefer medium. I like to be able to taste my food." She shot Waverly a faux-judgmental glance before ripping open a green packet.

"You get used to it," Waverly winked. "I did. You can thank—or blame—Wynonna for that. She kept sneaking spicy stuff into everything I was cooking that I just learned to live with it." Staring at her ball of tinfoil, Waverly's gaze was far-off, her smile fond. A few blinks brought Waverly back. "So."

"Guess I better up my game then," Nicole teased.

"You **better** if you plan on sticking around," Waverly returned with a smile, but a worried line suddenly crossed her brow. There was also a twitch in a chiseled cheek.

Nicole's hand reached forward to reassuringly stroke her wrist. "Challenge accepted. …Just try not to burn my tongue off."

Waverly's gaze very obviously flicked to Nicole's lips then back to her eyes with a crinkle. "Noted."

The squealing kettle broke their intense stare as both women turned to the stove. Reluctantly releasing Waverly's wrist, Nicole pushed herself away from the table to fetch the hot water. She readied a pair of chamomile teas before returning.

Nicole asked, "How is Wynonna? ...And I guess Willa?"

A petulant shrug. "Both at BBD with Dolls. They're—ah—They're trying to figure out who's out to get them. And trying to help Willa remember... about what happened after she disappeared." At Nicole's baffled look, Waverly chewed her cheek. "After Daddy got shot and—all that in between. Dolls is trying to help her remember."

 _Weird priorities. Maybe a favor to Wynonna? …Hm._

 _More questions._

"Dolls doesn't strike me as a licensed psychologist," Nicole said dryly.

"Me either," Waverly agreed. Her small smile was kind. "He's—He's a good guy, though. He'll help. He'll do everything he can to, anyway."

"If you say so." It wasn't that Nicole didn't believe Waverly. It was just a slow burn to forget how rude the Deputy Marshall had been to Nicole when they'd first met.

 _But if Waverly thinks he's a good guy... then he probably is,_ Nicole decided with an inward, conceding shrug.

A few sips of tea and bites of tacos later, Nicole finally worked up the courage to ask one of her more pressing questions. "Waverly… what **happened**? How did you get shot?" Her eyes flicked to Waverly's ribs in worry (and, admittedly, to the low neckline of her shirt) before returning to her eyes.

Sighing, Waverly started to rub her sweater sleeves against her palms again. A tired expression settled over her face (making her look a great deal like Wynonna). "I don't… I don't even know. I mean, where do I start?" She wrinkled her nose and looked at the ceiling. "I think—I think the last thing I texted you about was… Willa?"

"At Shorty's. That she'd started a bar fight with Wynonna," Nicole confirmed.

Nicole had heard passing conversation about it later while she was out getting the groceries. Something about "That crazy Earp girl at it again makin' trouble" and "Heard a couple girls got into it with Bobo's guys." She had also heard that someone had been shot, but Nicole checked both police and hospital reports in her patrol car to dispute that rumor. Not a word of any injuries other than bruised egos.

 _Strange._

 _Just like everything else in Purgatory._

"Right," Waverly nodded. "We came back to the Homestead after. Dolls and Willa got into it. Upset Wynonna so bad that she ran outside to clear her head in the barn."

"Musta been pretty big for Wynonna to lose her cool," Nicole observed with a smile. As much as the older Earp irked Nicole, she did have some admiration for the woman's stubbornness.

Scrunching up her face, Waverly sighed. "Yea. She was always the go-between, trying to keep the peace. With Willa and me. With Daddy. And now with Dolls and Doc… wherever **he** is." The pained expression deepened. "Willa went to check on Wynonna. And I—I wanted to help. So, I started tea and went to go see her in the barn too, and—and…"

Nicole reached over to bump her fingers against Waverly's in consolation. "Waverly…"

Waverly closed her eyes, seemingly bracing herself. And then she exploded. "I **heard** them! They were talking like I didn't even exist! That Wynonna was **all** alone until Willa came back!" Her voice had pitched up in uncharacteristic sarcasm before continuing. "That **Willa** could just—would just—And Wynonna just—!"

Those hazel eyes were glassy with misery. "Willa never wanted me. She always made that crystal clear. 'Everything was perfect til you came along,' she used to say. I was hoping maybe I just—I dunno—remembered it wrong? But… same old Willa," Waverly spat with venom.

Tilting her head, Nicole started to pull her hand away before Waverly surged forward to grip that hand tight. Waverly looked manic. "I just… Nicole, what if Wynonna doesn't need me anymore? Or want me? Or want my help? What if she leaves again? Or what if she makes me leave? I don't—I don't know if I—I've never—" Her breathing had turned shallow from the torrent of words.

"Whoa whoa whoa," Nicole interjected with a squeeze back. "What are you talking about? 'Wynonna won't need or want you?' I bet—no, I **know** —that you're the best sister anyone could ever have. Do you—do you think you're getting replaced? Or…?" She couldn't quite figure out what Waverly's worry stemmed from based on her cryptic phrasing.

 _"Want my help" with what? …Why would Wynonna ever make Waverly leave Purgatory? What does Waverly do that she feels she wouldn't be needed for?_

 _Languages. Research. Government business. Weird shit in Purgatory. Wynonna in the middle of it. And Waverly? Where did she fit in? On top of all the complicated family stuff?_

 _More questions._

Pulling her hand away, Waverly pushed back in her chair and slumped her neck over the back, chin pointed at the ceiling. "I don't knowwww," she moaned fretfully. "It's just been so **hard** lately with everything going on. We were just starting to get a handle on some of the BBD cases and now it's all gone to crap. Doc's gone. Shorty's is gone. Someone in BBD is out to get us. Willa's really the—I mean, Willa might have more to do with things. I don't **know**."

 _Willa's really the **what**? _Nicole bit her lip against all the new questions she was racking up.

"Waverly. We'll find Doc. And Shorty's is just… temporary. You'll be back behind the taps before you know it," Nicole said with a teasing smile. "Or whatever else you wanna do. And Dolls and Wynonna— **and** you—will figure out what's going on with BBD. Y'all helped crack that missing girls' case, right? And everything else you guys have done the past few months? It's… amazing."

 _From what little I've heard anyway._

Only a sniffle from Waverly in response, her head still slumped over the chair back.

Nicole continued, "I just wish it was less dangerous. Or I could do something to help. I **care** about you, Wave. And I worry about you." _That's what girlfriends do._ She took a long sip of her tea. "What happened after the barn?"

A shaky sigh before Waverly finally lifted her head again. She reached for her own cup of tea. "I slipped out and made tea for me and Dolls. He was—he was really nice." A fond smile for a second, and then that line of worry again. "And then I—I don't really remember much. Lots of gunshots. I think one of them threw a smoke grenade in the house that Dolls threw back? It was crazy. I remember I—I grabbed my shotgun and went to the kitchen to try and help. I did help! I got one of them! …And then they got me." A sheepish scowl.

Shrugging her shoulders, Waverly crossed her arms. Her left hand gingerly touched her side. "I guess Wynonna and Willa got the drop on the rest and drove them away with Dolls' help." Her eyes flicked to Nicole's, hooded with apology. "I swear, things aren't usually this complicated. It's just—I wish I could explain…"

"Can you try?" Nicole probed gently.

A fretful headshake. "I—I can't. I promised. I'm sorry." Leaning forward in her chair, Waverly stretched across the table to offer an open hand. "Please don't be mad, Nicole. It's important and I—I just can't."

"I'm not **mad** , I just—I don't know if—" Nicole paused to take a deep breath. She needed a moment to formulate words that didn't come across as an ultimatum. "I don't know how long I can be okay with being in the dark about all this," she admitted slowly.

Nicole reached out and squeezed Waverly's hand when the woman inhaled in protest (but remained silent). "It's just that—It's like I said: I care about you. And I worry. I **want** to be okay about all this, but it's hard to be okay when I know there's something bigger going on. I can't protect you or be there for you if I don't know… y'know?"

Sighing, Nicole stroked her thumb over the back of Waverly's hand. "But I—I understand. I'm a cop, so I—I get it. I don't like it, but I get it. Just… promise me you'll be **careful** , okay?" Her eyes flicked to Waverly's side. " **More** careful? Please, baby?"

A relieved, sunshine crinkle of a smile washed over Waverly's face. "I promise!"

Standing up, Nicole moved to clean up their taco trash and dishes. She was stopped by a hand from Waverly, who grabbed her wrist and guided Nicole into an intense, grateful kiss. Fingertips gently stroked Nicole's cheek before they pulled apart.

Nicole rested her forehead against Waverly's a moment. The woman whispered a soft "Thank you" before leaving a peck on Nicole's cheek. Nicole then gathered up their dishes and rinsed the cups in the sink.

Turning, Nicole leaned her backside against the kitchen counter as she dried her hands on a towel. "What do you say I get crackin' on this lasagna and then we take a little drive around?"

"Yes, please!" Waverly chirped. "I can give you a tour of the Homestead property! I know everything about it! Did you know this is the original foundation Wyatt Earp dug with his own hands?" She knowingly tossed her side-braid over her shoulder. "Same with the archway. The rest of the house had to be remodeled by his son, Josiah, after a fire in the 1940s. The **barn** , though—"

With a laugh, Nicole held up her hands in surrender. "I believe you, I believe you! Save it for the tour!" She winked at Waverly. "I'm more of a visual learner, anyway. Need to see things to remember 'em."

"Good, cuz there's gonna be a quiz later," Waverly threatened with a return wink. She stood up in her chair with a slight wince. "You're letting me help you with that lasagna." Not a request but a demand.

Tilting her raised hands, Nicole shrugged as she moved to the fridge to retrieve her ingredients. "I don't think I could stop you if I tried. Can I get a stock pot, a frying pan and the biggest baking dish you have? Hopefully this will last three Earps and a Dolls for a couple days."

"Depends on the Earp. Wynonna eats like a horse," Waverly shrugged back as she dug around the lower cabinets to retrieve the requested pot and pans. As Nicole accepted the stock pot, Waverly held on to the handle a moment, her smile thoughtful. "Thank you for doing this, Nicole. Just—all of this. Everything. I really appreciate it. And I'm **so** glad you're here. …what are 'best friends' for, right?"

 _Right… our little joke._ It seemed less funny suddenly. For a couple of reasons.

"Uh, right. Sure thing," Nicole replied a little awkwardly. She forced a smile. "Hope you don't mind sharing a Third Date Lasagna with your sister—sisters…" _And Dolls._

A nose-wrinkle but Waverly brightened. "Depends on how good it is."

Nicole bit back with good-natured sarcasm. "Uh, **very** good? You remember that pasta I made, right?"

Waverly's short laugh was pure delight. "I **do**. It was **amazing**. …I **guess** I can be nice and share you—er, share your cooking."

* * *

They worked in the kitchen so well together, it was almost enough for Nicole to start to forget that her—that **Waverly** —had been **shot**. There were occasional jarring reminders of reality: the boarded-up windows above the sink, dents and bullet holes in random spots _(…the ceiling? Really?),_ and a few errant pieces of glass that had made their way into one of the cutlery drawers.

Nicole had also made a brief examination of the oven and stove to make sure no wild bullets had severed any gas lines. Luckily, the oven primed to preheat with a clicking hiss and was not followed by the rotten smell of leaking natural gas.

 _Thank heaven for some small favors._

Waverly was an excellent sous chef, particularly since she knew where everything in the kitchen was hidden away. The cutting board she fetched had an alarming chunk of wood taken out of the corner, but Nicole managed to dice the zucchini, yellow squash, onions and garlic with relative ease. Waverly prepped the noodles to boil before pan-frying the vegetables Nicole passed over to her.

The young Earp chatted about her favorite recipes as well as promises of delicious dishes she would cook for Nicole. "I make an awesome eggplant parmesan that even **Wynonna** can't tell doesn't have meat. Oh! And I've been dying to make some blueberry muffins. It's been **forever** since I did any baking. I miss it."

"Just a couple weeks," Nicole reminded her. "Those banana muffins you made when we went to the gun range **were** pretty fantastic. I might have to concede Best Baker to you, but I am **not** gonna roll over so easy on Best Cook." Nicole's tone was a warning.

"Oh yea! …oh yea. That was—that was a… really good day." Waverly gave a bashful, slanted smile as she stirred a spoon around the pan. Fresh basil leaves stripped from a (cracked) clay trough on a window sill were added along with a can of roasted tomatoes a few minutes later.

Continuing the conversation, Nicole countered with some of her favorite dishes, though most contained meat. She smiled to herself after wondering how long it would take to get used to dating a vegetarian. One of many things to get used to for a future together.

… _Together_ …

After assembling the layers of noodles, sauce, vegetables and cheese, Nicole popped the dish into the oven. A jingle of car keys drew Nicole's attention to the entryway where Waverly stood holding her green coat. She was already wrapped in her own blue jacket and a familiar plaid scarf.

Nicole smiled as she finished setting her phone timer. "Are you sure you're feeling up to it?"

Waverly shook the jacket enticingly. "Oh God, yes. I just want to leave the house for a bit. Need some fresh air. Then we can have a day in and watch trashy reality TV or something. Unless… you have somewhere to be." Again with the worried line creasing her forehead.

Shrugging on the offered jacket, Nicole replied, "Only place I'm supposed to be is right here. Day off work and my gir—you—you need cheering up."

 _God Damn it._ She'd slipped up. But Waverly didn't seem to notice while she was pulling on her boots.

Waverly grabbed Nicole's elbow and clung there as she dragged them both outside to the gravel driveway. They piled into her red Jeep and let it warm for a moment, commenting lightly on the weather. The air was still crisp and cool as the sun climbed higher in the sky.

The Homestead tour included copious Earp history peppered with memories from Waverly's past. The nearby pet cemetery, a more recent addition, was mostly Waverly's pets (hamsters and rabbits and the like). A young Ward had apparently kept dogs growing up, though he hadn't allowed his daughters the same (which Waverly noted with bitterness).

"There's always cats," Nicole reminded her. "Start a new Earp tradition?"

"True!" Waverly chirped in agreement as she cut the wheel to meander to south side of the property. "Wouldn't be a new tradition, though! Josiah Earp's wife Emily kept a bunch of barn cats—Josiah built the barn in 1936 while he was remodeling the house—and one **even** managed to surprise a Rev—er… a, uh, Reverend who, uh, came to the house." She trailed off as the Jeep bumped along a vague dirt road, snow kicking up off the fat all-terrain tires behind them.

Nicole wrinkled her nose in confusion. "Is that—is that all there is to the story?" _Because it's not a very good one._

"Uh, yea. It was… exciting for the 30s, ya know," Waverly evaded as her fingertips drummed on the steering wheel.

Nicole arched a skeptical brow. "Sure, sure…" She watched an old fence trail by for a few seconds before asking, "How long have you been researching all things Earp?"

"All things Purgatory, actually," Waverly corrected. "And it feels like forever. Most of the basic Earp stuff I got from the library in like junior high, then in high school I'd go to the city to track down more obscure details. Letters, journals, old newspaper articles, that sort of thing. And eBay for most of the memorabilia."

"Sounds like a labor of love."

"It really is—was—is."

* * *

The rest of the Homestead tour flew by in a blur. The well came with the property while the pond was added in the early 1900s. The land wasn't great for farming, but Edwin Earp had made the most of it in the 60s (while Ward left it fallow as Purgatory grew). Each Earp had left their mark on the land in their own ways (Wyatt the lawman, Josiah the builder, Edwin the farmer, Ward returning to the lawman tradition, Wynonna… doing whatever is she does).

Nicole just loved listening to Waverly talk. It was hard not to keep stealing glances at the woman out of the corner of her eye. It was the most happy and animated Nicole had seen of Waverly in almost a week.

This was Waverly in her element: talking about everything Earp. And boy did she know a **lot**. Dates and anecdotes and surrounding lore. Just **everything**.

And that everything was just… _heavenly_. For a little while at least.

"Oh! And that's where—what's wrong?" Waverly stopped mid-sentence as the Jeep circled back around, a familiar red barn appearing over a distant hill.

Blinking, it took Nicole a second to register the question. "…What?"

"What's wrong?" Waverly repeated, eyebrow quirked. "You're making a weird face."

"Oh… nothing. Just enjoying the view." She smiled significantly at Waverly, who reddened (but grinned back).

"Oh! Uh, me too!"

Waverly's right hand crept off the steering wheel to clasp at Nicole's. Nicole squeezed back.

An alarm started gently chiming in Nicole's jacket pocket. Not releasing Waverly's hand, Nicole dug around and tapped a snooze for it.

"Guess we should head back," Waverly commented. She wrinkled her nose. "Is it terrible that I'd rather just be out here with you?"

 _Less likely to get shot_ , Nicole thought inwardly. She smiled though. "We can always just keep going. Go all the way back to my house. …Though the lasagna will probably eventually catch fire and burn the Homestead down."

"That'll be tough to explain to Wynonna," Waverly agreed.

"It'd ruin the ice cream I got for you, too," Nicole commented lightly.

A light laugh from Waverly. "Yea, fire will do that. …What'd you bring? Because I could **kill** for some mint choco-chip. …I don't know if you know this, but I had a **super** shitty day yesterday."

"I might have heard something to that effect."

"Did you also hear that this awesome woman I'm seeing stopped by? Thinks she can cook better than me, but she has other great qualities." Waverly's quip was warm with irony.

"One or two." Nicole shrugged dismissively. "I heard a rumor she picked up matcha ice cream? And that it's waiting back at the house?"

The Jeep jerked slightly as Waverly accidentally tapped the brakes. "Are you—are you joking right now?"

Grinning wide, Nicole squeezed Waverly's hand again. She was pretty proud of this particular surprise. "I had to Google the place and got slightly lost, but luckily I made it before they closed."

"We were supposed to go together!" The outrage in Waverly's voice was overshadowed by a wide, awed smile.

"We still can. I just figured you could use it. Plus, **I** haven't had any. I'm still waiting for our date." Nicole smiled back. There was a tight, answering clasp on Nicole's hand.

"Promise you didn't sneak a free sample?"

Nicole offered a three-fingered Girl Scout sign. "Cross my heart."

She wasn't lying. Nicole had even driven back to Purgatory with her windows down, a gloved hand holding the pint outside so it wouldn't melt. The shop had been just as cozy as Waverly had promised, a perfect table for two at the window waiting for their return. Together, this time.

The gesture flustered Waverly to the point of babbling. "That's—I don't—I was—It's— **thank you** , Nicole."

Nicole did her best to suppress how pleased she was with herself. "You're **welcome** , Wave. You woulda done the same for me."

Waverly's response was barely above a whisper.

"In a heartbeat."

When they returned to the house, a familiar black SUV was parked in the driveway. Waverly groaned with dismay, her delight so quickly clouded. She exchanged a worried look with Nicole, who had to resist the urge to kiss Waverly's cheek to calm her down.

They took their time pulling the Jeep in next to Nicole's cruiser. Hopping out first, Nicole helped Waverly get out of her Jeep (partly to be chivalrous and mostly for a valid excuse to hold her hand).

Just as Waverly set down on the crunching snow, the front door flew open with a bang.

A leather-clad Wynonna strode toward them, waving angrily. "What the **shit** , Waverly? You called the cops?! Do you have any idea—!" She stopped when she saw Nicole. "Oh… **you**. You're okay, I guess."

"Uh, thanks?" Nicole replied awkwardly as she felt Waverly shrink away, their hands losing grip as Waverly clutched the back of her jacket.

"What have you told her?" Wynonna demanded, her scowl returning to Waverly.

The grip on Nicole's jacket tightened as Waverly cleared her throat. "Just that we had a little scuffle at the house and everything's a shit-show. You know: the **usual** , Wynonna." The smaller woman glared back at her sister in challenge.

Nicole held up her hands in surrender. "I'm just here as—as a friend." She shared a significant glance at Waverly, who just smiled softly. "I just know that something bad happened and she got hurt." It was Nicole's turn to glare at Wynonna.

Surprisingly, Wynonna backed off. There was no snarky one-liner, no spitting profanity demanding Nicole leave.

Instead Wynonna sobered, her tired eyes hooded in guilt with jaw clenched. She nodded in acknowledgement.

The front door banged a second time, this time from a different fiery woman. " **More** people in on our business? Wynonna! You're just gonna let—!"

The oldest—old **er** —Earp interrupted the newcomer. "She's good, Willa." Wynonna nodded at Nicole. "She's **good**. She's here for Waverly. That's all. Right?"

"Here for Waverly," Nicole echoed. Now moving behind Waverly, Nicole was able to hide the tight grip she resumed on the woman's hand. A grip that had gotten tighter with the new arrival, as well as Waverly taking a small step back and leaning into Nicole.

 _So._ ** _This_ **_was Willa._

The resemblance was certainly there, though closer to Wynonna than Waverly. All the Earp daughters were beautiful in their own way.

Wynonna was a chiseled, untamed sort of beautiful. The sort walled away with snark and alcohol, but occasionally hinting at a soft, caring center. Usually just around Waverly (though Nicole had spotted it briefly on the police station floor between sips of bourbon).

Waverly was a warm, radiant brand of beautiful. Bubbly and unique, self-possessed with both strength and unyielding kindness. Pure, lovely light wrapped in a will of steel.

This Willa could not be more the opposite of Waverly. Beautiful in a classic sort of way, with pouting lips and big blue eyes. But where Waverly was sunshine, Willa radiated ice. She held herself with a calculating, haughty presence that commanded attention.

It was hard not to immediately dislike the woman, and not just because of everything Waverly had told Nicole about her.

But… she **was** Waverly's sister.

Escorting Waverly to the door, Nicole was intercepted by Wynonna while Willa loomed inward towards Waverly. Not willing to let herself be manipulated by either Earp Sister, Nicole turned to Waverly to ask loudly, "I need to check on that lasagna, but do you need me to come with you?"

"Oh, she's fine," Willa interrupted, her attempt at a charming smile not quite reaching her eyes. "She's due for a bandage change. Right… sis?" That last word fell unfamiliarly from the corner of her mouth.

"I was talking to Waverly," Nicole reminded Willa sweetly (and relished the flash of anger in the woman's eyes). She wasn't about to allow herself to be intimidated by Willa Earp.

Her smile small but determined, Waverly echoed, "It's fine. Gotta make sure that lasagna doesn't set the kitchen on fire, right? It's been through enough."

"And then some," Nicole agreed. She allowed Wynonna to shadow her to the kitchen while Willa and Waverly sat down on the living room couch.

Nicole felt herself flinch at Willa's graceless lifting of Waverly's shirt to inspect the wound, reflecting back the panicked look Waverly gave her. Nicole nodded at the kitchen, wordlessly trying to tell Waverly: " _I'll be right there if you need anything."_

Waverly seemed to get the message with an awkward but determined nod.

Padding over to the oven, the kitchen already smelled like roasted tomato and herbs. Nicole started rummaging in the drawers to look for an oven mitt just as Wynonna hissed in her ear.

"Why are you **really** here, Haught?"

Nicole shrugged as she shifted over to search the next drawer. "Not in uniform, Earp. Here for Waverly, like I said."

"Uh-huh. And what about **Randy**?" Wynonna spat that last word with disdain, her blue eyes searching.

Rolling her eyes, Nicole straightened. "You know where the oven mitts are? …And it's not the Sheriff's business what I do on my day off."

"You better not be a **nark**."

"That would require me to **know** something to nark **about**." Nicole sighed. She was tired of being on the outside looking in. "I don't know what you're knee-deep into, Wynonna. I wish I did. All I know is that whatever you **are** into got Waverly hurt."

A flinch of pain. Wynonna replied, "That was an accident."

"Getting shot is an 'accident?'"

"She **did** tell you."

"Not enough. I don't know by whom. Or why." Moving over to the next drawer, Nicole continued her rummaging. The phone in her pocket chimed as the alarm went off again. She turned it off with a sigh, her thumb tracing over the wallpaper of her and Waverly. "…Trust me, Wynonna: I've **asked**. But she says I'm better off not knowing, and I trust her."

 _I just wish she could trust me back._

Wynonna sighed this time as she stomped over to the fridge and started palming around the top of it. A moment later, she pulled a pair of paisley-patterned mitts out and tossed them to Nicole.

 _Of course. I was totally gonna check there next,_ Nicole thought sarcastically as she opened the oven door. The rich smell of garlic amplified as she gripped the ends of the ceramic pan. Sauce bubbled at the surface, rich reds mixing with blobs of white cheese.

"Lookit you, Suzy Homemaker," Wynonna drawled back defensively.

Setting the pan down on the stove to cool, Nicole pulled off the oven mitts and shot Wynonna a confused glance. "This is basic cooking, Wynonna. Do you—do you know how to cook?" She meant the question genuinely, though Nicole couldn't help adding a slight dig of inflection at the end.

Wynonna cleared her throat, her shoulders rolling in discomfort. She quickly changed the subject. "When did **you** start coming around?"

Nicole smiled back sweetly. "Hey, **you're** the one who said Waverly should hang out with me. Guess she finally agreed with you." Pointing at the lasagna, Nicole counted off on her fingers. "I— **We** (Waverly helped)—made enough to last y'all for a couple days. And Dolls, too, wherever he went."

An eye-rolling shrug in response. "Another perimeter check. Dolls is nothing if not thorough—ly high-strung."

"I hear that," Nicole nodded. "He makes the Sheriff look positively laid-back."

The woman barked a laugh. "Huh. You're all right, Haught." Wynonna slammed a fist into Nicole's shoulder (slightly harder than necessary). "And thanks for the grub."

Resisting the urge to rub her throbbing shoulder, Nicole gave Wynonna a worried frown. "…Wynonna. Take care of her, okay?"

 _She's… precious to me._

Wynonna nodded back. "I always do." At Nicole's withering glance, Wynonna amended, "Er, I always **will**."

"Better."

A second later, Waverly bounded into the kitchen, hands pulling her shirt down farther than necessary. Willa was close behind, a small white jar in her hands and that haughty look back on her face.

Hurrying over to the fridge, Waverly dug around for a moment in the top freezer box. She then sidled up next to Nicole to steal a spoon from a drawer before snagging Nicole's hand. Nicole felt herself being dragged over to the living room and up the stairs.

"Feeling kind of tired, gonna have a snack and say goodbye to Nicole and take a nap BYEEEE!" Waverly called behind her as she pattered up the stairwell with Nicole in tow.

Nicole just shrugged at the older Earp sisters. Wynonna's interest immediately turned to the lasagna while Willa's cold eyes followed the two women. There was a head-tilt of curiosity and Willa opened her mouth to speak before Wynonna interrupted her with a wave over to the stove.

The kitchen faded out of sight as Nicole and Waverly climbed to the upper hallway and tucked themselves behind Waverly's bedroom door with a light slam.

"So," Nicole observed. "That's Willa, huh?"

"That's Willa," Waverly confirmed with a sigh as she flopped down on the bed, her fingertips rolling around the diameter of the ice cream pint. She seemed to twitch her right shoulder slightly, the inside of her elbow rubbing at the gunshot wound on her ribs.

"Are you okay?" Nicole asked as she sat down next to Waverly on the small bed, her arm bracing herself. Even sitting, Nicole was a few inches taller than the woman.

A shrug. "Fine. What did you and Wynonna talk about?"

"Oh, how great my cooking is. And that if anything else happens to you, I'd come for her. In the middle of the night. And make it look like an accident." Nicole shot Waverly a mock-serious glance when the woman's head snapped to meet hers.

"It wasn't her fault," Waverly pleaded lightly.

"I'm kidding." Leaning, Nicole bumped her shoulder against Waverly's. "I just asked her to look out for you, and that you hadn't told me anything about what had happened. That I'm here for you no matter what, even if I'm in the dark about it."

Waverly bit her lower lip. "I—thank you, Nicole." She gave a small smile. "I **promise** I'll tell you everything when I can. I **promise**."

"I believe you."

It was a slow lean into a kiss. They both jerked their heads closer and closer while also trying to listen for Wynonna or Willa. It was Waverly who decided the coast was clear when she pushed forward to capture Nicole's lips.

A gentle thing of a kiss, sweet and soft. Nicole's tongue flicked against Waverly's lower lip to an answering flick a second later. She couldn't help leaning further over to reach a hand up and smooth fingertips against Waverly's cheek and jaw. Just soft, reassuring and patient.

They held there a few long moments, heads tilting back and forth. Nicole could feel Waverly's smile against her cheeks, a small smile that grew into a wide, crinkling one. A few minutes of freedom from an otherwise crazy day—days—week.

Pulling apart slowly, Nicole dropped her hand back down to keep her balance on the shifting mattress. She felt a hand over hers as they held there, foreheads pressed together in quiet solidarity. When Nicole finally opened her eyes, she saw Waverly staring back at her. Those eyes sparkled again with that soft, unreadable smile.

Whispering, Nicole nuzzled her nose against Waverly's forehead. "I should probably go… before I get us into trouble."

"What if—what if I want to get into trouble?"

Nicole exhaled a laugh through her nose. "Maybe more than 24 hours after you've been shot. We've got time." She paused and pulled back, her eyes glancing at the door significantly. "Preferably time where your sisters and Dolls aren't five feet away."

"Maybe—maybe you can come back tomorrow?" Waverly asked hopefully. "Willa said they're going back to BBD for more hypnosis. She was… frustrated." Dark worry crossed Waverly's face.

Pulling her phone out of her pocket, Nicole checked her work schedule. "I'm working a night shift, so I'll have to take a nap at some point. I could probably be by the same time tomorrow, though."

Waverly brightened as she gripped Nicole's hand. "It's a date!" She cringed at how loudly she said that before repeating at a whisper, "…it's a date."

"It's a date," Nicole echoed as she gave Waverly a long goodbye kiss before standing up.

"Wait!" Waverly hissed as she dug her spoon into the pint. She chiseled out a small dollop of bright green ice cream and offered it to Nicole.

Shaking her head, Nicole smiled. "Nah, I'll savor the suspense. I mean, what's matcha ice cream without a sexy black dress, right?"

"They do go hand in hand," Waverly soberly agreed, eyes twinkling. She took a bite of the ice cream and her eyes started to roll back slightly from delight. Gaze narrowing for a second, Waverly took another bite before surging forward to kiss Nicole.

A slight cheat, but Nicole wasn't one to complain. The kiss was laced with a sweet, earthy, green tea taste. All in all, light and refreshing.

As they pulled apart, Waverly whispered, "Just a preview. You know." Her shrug was overly casual, if pleased.

Nodding in approval, Nicole licked her lips. " **That** … I can get behind." She kissed Waverly's nose before taking a step back to the door. "See you first thing tomorrow, Wave. Get some rest, okay?"

"Thanks for taking care of me, Nicole." Waverly gave her best crinkling, genuine smile. "It—it means a lot."

"Any time."

Nicole gently shut Waverly's door behind her. As Nicole adjusted her coat at the bottom of the stairs, she did notice that both Willa and Wynonna stopped talking when they had heard her footsteps.

"See ya tomorrow, Earps," Nicole said with a wave as she dug around for her car keys.

"Tomorrow? You're coming back?" Willa seemed dismayed by the news, but changed her disapproval to a more neutral expression when Wynonna elbowed her shoulder.

Offering one last, sweet smile, Nicole replied, "Yep. Waverly asked me to. You guys don't mind, right? I mean, nothing to hide, right?"

"Uh, right. Right," Wynonna agreed with a scowl. "Just taking care of Waverly, right?"

Eyes flicking to Willa, Nicole nodded. "Someone has to, right? …See y'all tomorrow! Enjoy the lasagna!"

It would be an understatement to say Nicole relished the nostril-flaring irritation from Willa. Wynonna only nodded back in gratitude.

It would also be an understatement to say Nicole did not like Willa Earp.

No, that wasn't it.

Nicole did not **trust** Willa Earp. And that worried her more.

* * *

 _Nothing makes you feel more like a writer and/or psycho than googling "gunshot wound/treatment." They did NOT teach that in my CPR/First Aid certification class._


End file.
